As part of an Iranian military exercise involving a semi-farcical attack on a mock-up U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, on Wednesday the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a pair of underground ballistic missiles at the carrier replica (RELATED: Is Iran Going to Try to Sink Another Fake U.S. Aircraft Carrier?). Separately, Iran claims to have used its first military satellite to publish detailed images of a U.S. airbase in Qatar.
Both could be significant developments. Two American bases went on temporarily alert over the launches, reported VOA news.
Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command in Qatar.
Drone footage aired by the IRGC showed “two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake,” according to AP, adding that the IRGC “did not identify the location of the launch, nor the missiles involved.”
AP reported that Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard’s aerospace division, told state television it was the first time the Guard had done this, though the IRGC is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.
We have carried out the launch of ballistic missiles from the depths of the earth for the first time. That means without utilizing conventional launchpads, the buried missiles suddenly rip out of the earth and hit their targets precisely.
This demonstration could be a sign of fear, however.
“They feel that their missile forces are exposed and that they could be taken out preemptively, expert Melissa Hanham at the Austria-based group, Open Nuclear Network, said in AP (RELATED: Iranian Explosions and Fires – Foreign Attacks or Internal Sabotage?). While the IRGC did not identify the launch site, Hanham also said that “The above-ground footage shown on state television, coupled with investigative techniques, make it possible to locate the site.” She added, “Once you find the silo, it’s really not a safe place to keep your missile anymore.”
Reinforcing the idea that the U.S. can still target Iran’s underground missiles, Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, explained in AP that solid-fuel propellant could allow such missiles to be buried for years. However, he added he suspected the U.S. likely knew where the missiles were buried.
“Maybe not all of them, but a large percentage,” Elleman said. “If so, they are vulnerable to pre-launch strikes during a crisis.”
In a related development, Newsweek reported that Iranian state TV claims it’s recently launched Nour-1 satellite – operated by the IRCG – took photos of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command and the headquarters of U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
Iran’s Press TV said the images covered the “full expanse” of the base, but the U.S. has reportedly not commented on, nor confirmed this yet.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has previously stated that this satellite is part of Tehran’s ballistic missile program. In April, after the Nour-1 launch, Pompeo said according to Newsweek, that Iran’s claims of pursuing a peaceful civilian space program was “fiction.”
The IRGC launch, he said, “makes clear what we have said all along: Iran’s space program is neither peaceful nor entirely civilian.”
READ NEXT: Iran Launches First Satellite, Revealing Secret Missile Program >>
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And one doesn’t think there will be a war started from one of our enemies. They all want to dominate. Not sure why China and the muslims are getting along as china hates them and the muslims hate everyone.
When the democratic want to be a communist party wins in November our enemies will wait till the democrats running America destroy our military might by defunding it to buy loyalty from their armies of nitwits. Once communist takes over and minorities no longer get sympathy as victims, and as resources run out, they will scratch their fannies and wonder what happened. The democrats plan to destroy the greatest nation on earth because their just plain lying sneaky morons.The only political party in history that used terror against their own people. They and our one party propaganda media goons, along with Obama endorsed terrorism as an acceptable norm. The terrorist are the victims, not the scared citizens living in terror of night fall. Democrats unleashed terror upon our own people, but they might call off their terrorist if we give them power to rule over us. Yup, elect the democratic communist party member, and they will punish your unborn children for slavery if their white. Followers of Sudosadisticmachism want our democrats to win, they enjoy pain, and self destruction.
One thing major wrong in your comment Moe…Trump’s winning in a landslide so big the Left won’t even contest it.
The biggest threat to Iran is their threat to the world. Give the world a reason to bury you please!
Iran is not a severe threat, YET!
Congress and islam is the true threat.
Congress allows thousands of muslims W Bush and Obama smuggled in to stay.
Congress allows Saudi money to flood in and build mosques by the hundreds just like McDonalds use to build hamburger stands in the 1960’S.
The Pentagon trains muslims on US soil that assault and kill US servicemen.
Trump is oblivious to all of this. 3-3/4 YEARS WASTED.
Now since before WWII the people who live in those areas have been known for hiding things under the sand because it is so easy to disguise with sand being easy to dig the pits and to access, so nothing new here just some raising concerns over nothing. With our satellite system I am sure the USA knows where anything buried n the surface is buried any place in the World.
A mock-up carrier group doesn’t shoot back. Those missiles won’t get near our carriers.
Simple launch killer satiates to trach the Iran electronic signal for instant destruction if needed. That is why we are developing a Space Force.
??? those morons will blow themselves up!