Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has significantly expanded its naval capabilities with the addition of long-range missiles, drones, and electronic warfare units, state media reported last Friday, August 9.
Iran’s IRGC Ups Ante with New “Untraceable” Missiles
According to the circulating report, this substantial military buildup comes at a time of heightened regional tensions following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The IRGC, a powerful force with significant influence across the Middle East, has been at the forefront of Iran’s military operations.
The new weaponry, including anti-ship cruise missiles described as “untraceable” “enemy destroyers,” positions Iran for a more assertive role in the region’s maritime domain.
“In today’s world, you either have to be powerful to survive, or surrender. There’s no middle ground,” IRGC chief General Hossein Salami stated during the unveiling of the new weapons.
IRGC Navy’s latest drones on display, August 9. (Screengrab/IRNA)
Salami also revealed the integration of various long and medium-range missile systems, surveillance drones, and naval radars into the fleet.
“If we cannot engage with the enemy in the depths of the sea and oceans at any desired point and stop the enemy from afar, we will naturally have problems at our national borders,” the general remarked.
The declaration underscores Iran’s determination to project power and deter potential adversaries.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has significantly expanded its naval capabilities with the addition of long-range missiles, drones, and electronic warfare units, state media reported last Friday, August 9.
Iran’s IRGC Ups Ante with New “Untraceable” Missiles
According to the circulating report, this substantial military buildup comes at a time of heightened regional tensions following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The IRGC, a powerful force with significant influence across the Middle East, has been at the forefront of Iran’s military operations.
The new weaponry, including anti-ship cruise missiles described as “untraceable” “enemy destroyers,” positions Iran for a more assertive role in the region’s maritime domain.
“In today’s world, you either have to be powerful to survive, or surrender. There’s no middle ground,” IRGC chief General Hossein Salami stated during the unveiling of the new weapons.
IRGC Navy’s latest drones on display, August 9. (Screengrab/IRNA)
Salami also revealed the integration of various long and medium-range missile systems, surveillance drones, and naval radars into the fleet.
“If we cannot engage with the enemy in the depths of the sea and oceans at any desired point and stop the enemy from afar, we will naturally have problems at our national borders,” the general remarked.
The declaration underscores Iran’s determination to project power and deter potential adversaries.
General Salami personally supervised the delivery of the domestically-produced arsenal last Friday.
Reports indicate that the IRGC Navy acquired a total of 2,640 pieces of military equipment, including missile systems, drones, and other advanced technologies. The radar-evading cruise missiles stood out as a key feature.
At the unveiling ceremony, only 210 of the 2,654 newly acquired systems were displayed to the public.
The rest, comprising some of the navy’s most sophisticated anti-surface and sub-surface weaponry, were kept confidential for security reasons, as reported by the Iranian Tasnim News Agency.
Tehran Vows to Avenge Haniyeh’s Killing
The move comes as Iran and its allies have vowed retaliation for the killing of Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was a Palestinian politician who was the chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from May 2017 until his assassination last month by an allegedly covert Israeli operation while in Tehran for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration.
The Jewish state has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the attack.
With the broader Middle East already embroiled in the Israel-Hamas war, the introduction of these advanced naval capabilities has raised concerns about a potential escalation of hostilities.
Military analysts believe the IRGC’s naval expansion is in direct response to perceived threats from regional and Western powers. The new weapons have the potential to disrupt maritime traffic, target enemy vessels, and protect Iran’s coastline.
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