Israel Confirms: Europe Within Reach of Iranian Missiles

Israel recently discovered Iran has, for the first time, developed a missile that can carry a nuclear warhead to anywhere in Europe. This, while Iran negotiates with world powers over its nuclear program.

A satellite image of the new rocket on its launching pad. (Photo: screenshot)

A satellite image of the new rocket on its launching pad. (Photo: screenshot)

Israeli security officials revealed that Iran has developed new missiles that can hit any target in Europe, Channel 2 reports.

The televised report featured satellite photos of a 27-meter-long missile capable of carrying a warhead “far beyond Europe.” The missiles are seen on a launch pad at a site close to Tehran. The report stated these were the first ever satellite images of the missile seen by the West.

The report clarified that the missile could be used for civilian purposes, such as the launching of spacecraft or satellites, but also for offensive purposes.

According to the report, the missile production was making “very rapid progress.”

The West had been aware of the site for at least two years and has been closely monitoring the development of the missile engines, the report continued. Newer images show that there is a new site and that the construction and development of the missiles have progressed tremendously.

The images were captured by the Eros B commercial Earth Resources Observation Satellite, which was designed and manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). Launched in 2006, the satellite is owned by the Israeli ImageSat International company.

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Israel Closely Monitors Situation

Responding to the report, Israeli security officials are quoted as saying that “regardless of the latest developments [on Israel’s northern border], the Iranians are not pausing for a moment. Their ballistic capabilities are constantly progressing, and we are aware of this.”

In the meantime, Iran continues to threaten Israel. Brigadier General Hossein Salami, lieutenant commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), warned that the Israeli attack last Sunday, in which a number of Hezbollah terrorists and an Iranian general were killed, will certainly get a “crushing response,” the Iranian Fars new agency reports.

Iranian Brig.-Gen. Hossein Salami threatens Israel with "crushing response." (Photo: jihadwatch.org)

Iranian Brig.-Gen. Hossein Salami threatens Israel with “crushing response.” (Photo: jihadwatch.org)

“In addition to the reopening of the West Bank [front], as a move done especially in retaliation for the incident, we will surely take revenge for the attack with a specific move,” Salami said in an interview with the Iran-based, Arabic-language al-Alam news channel on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the IRGC, threatened Israel with a “devastating response.”

“The IRGC will remain steadfast on the path to the collapse of the Zionist regime of Israel through its continued support for the Lebanese and Palestinian combatants, but this time its supports will be on a scale larger than its supports during the 33-day and 51-day wars against the Israeli army,” Jafari said. “The Zionists must wait for the devastating thunderbolts of the anti-Israel resistance groups in the region.”

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Iran and the P5+1 powers are engaged in negotiations regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear aspirations. Jerusalem is anxiously monitoring these developments, concerned that the US may settle for a dangerous deal which, according to some analysts, would enable the Obama Administration to claim a diplomatic achievement.

President Barack Obama declared again last week that he was opposed to further sanctions against Iran, as he plans to continue the diplomatic option. Israel is worried that by the time the West comes to realize that Iran is not a serious negotiating partner, it will be to late and they will have already developed nuclear capabilities.