Iran tests new missile it claims is copy of captured Israeli weapon

Iran’s Tasnim news agency featured images of the new anti-tank missile. A Russian website says the weapon is modeled on an Israeli Spike missile that landed intact in Syria and was transferred to Iran.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

A new Iranian anti-tank missile bears striking similarity to an advanced Israeli weapon that may have fallen into its hands in Syria, media websites reported.

The Iranian news agency Tasmin published a report earlier this week boasting that the missile is similar to “the Zionist family of Spike missiles.” Tasnim tweeted pictures of the new unnamed weapon that was mounted on an Iranian-made Ababil-3 military drone.

“The missile uses a thermal image seeker as its guidance system, and based on its appearance, it can be assumed that the same missile … is similar to the Spike anti-tank missile,” Tasnim reported, listing the missiles features including range and warhead capability that sounded like it was copied from an Israel military industries marketing brochure.

Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the lightweight Spike missile has been produced since the 1980s with newer models incorporating technological advances to make it more accurate. The weapon is sold to at least 28 countries, including the United States.

The Russian aviation news website Avia.Pro, which specializes in military systems, said an Israeli missile fired into Syria had been neutralized by the Krasukha-4 Russian electronic warfare system and fell intact inside Syria. The missile that fell on Syrian soil was taken by the Russians and completely dismantled before being handed over to the Iranians.

“The missile was successfully removed from the country by Iranian intelligence services, studied and completely copied,” Avia.Pro reported, adding that a Russian military expert postulated the Iranians may want to use the missile against Israel in the future.

“If the characteristics of the Iranian missile correspond to those laid down in the Israeli version, the Iranian military may well try to use the missile against the Israeli military in the event of future attacks,” the expert told Avia.Pro.