TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the 59th wave of Operation True Promise 4 was carried out Tuesday afternoon with the firing of Haj Qasem missiles.

According to a statement from the IRGC Public Relations, the 59th wave of attacks targeted Israeli positions in Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and occupied Al-Quds, as well as bases belonging to the U.S. military, including Al-Udeid in Qatar, Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain, the Fujairah base in the UAE, and a U.S. base in Erbil, Iraq.

The operation was executed using precision, point-impact systems including the Qadr, Emad, Fattah, and Haj Qasem missiles, alongside kamikaze drones. The IRGC described the "impact-oriented" operation as completely successful.

"A new phase of effective and crushing blows has begun across the region against the American-Zionist enemy," the statement continued. "The spine of arrogance will be broken in the streets and squares."

Iran has launched two or three waves of missile and drone attacks every day since the U.S. and Israel began the war on February 28. Tuesday’s operation marked the first combat use of the Haj Qasem missile, which was unveiled several years ago. The missile is named in honor of the martyred Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani. While its technical specifications remain closely guarded, sources indicate it is a medium-range ballistic missile designed for high maneuverability and precision. It is believed to feature advanced seekers that allow for terminal-phase guidance, making it highly resistant to electronic countermeasures and capable of striking fortified positions with single-digit meter accuracy.

Throughout the current conflict, Iran has relied on a mix of liquid-fueled and solid-fueled missiles to overwhelm enemy defenses. The Khorramshahr 4, a recently unveiled variant, has a range of 2,000 kilometers and is capable of carrying a 1,500-kilogram warhead. Its sophisticated fuel mixture reduces launch preparation time, complicating adversaries' preemptive targeting efforts. The Sajil missile system, a solid-propellant, two-stage asset, has also been deployed for its rapid launch capabilities and high terminal velocity, reducing the window for interception attempts by systems like the Patriot or Iron Dome.

Satellite imagery suggests that Iran’s precision strikes have destroyed advanced U.S. radar systems, including AN/TPY-2 arrays, potentially blinding integrated air defense networks in the region. Direct hits have also been reported against logistics hubs and barracks at U.S. bases in Al-Udeid and Erbil, as well as critical infrastructure within the occupied territories, resulting in significant casualties among Israeli personnel.

Beyond physical damage, the sheer volume and sophistication of these "impact-oriented" operations are achieving a strategic objective: depleting interceptor missiles. 

Western and Israeli military analysts are increasingly acknowledging this critical vulnerability. The high-tempo, multi-wave campaigns combining hypersonic missiles, precision ballistic missiles, and loitering munitions have forced American and Israeli batteries to fire expensive interceptors at an unsustainable rate.

Reports from within the Pentagon and the Israeli Ministry of War indicate that stockpiles of key interceptors—including the SM-3, Arrow-2/3, and Patriot PAC-3—are dwindling to critical levels. With production lines unable to keep pace with the intensity of the war, the two regimes face the imminent reality of gaps in their aerial defense umbrella, paving the way for potentially more devastating future strikes. Some reports even suggest the U.S. and Israel have already run out of interceptors in many locations.

A comparison of footage over time appears to support this assessment. Videos from the early days of the war showed 7 or 8 interceptor missiles launched at a single incoming Iranian missile. More recent videos show one, two, or a complete lack of interceptors when an Iranian missile is in the sky.