Iran has test-fired a new, more accurate short-range missile capable of striking land and sea targets, it said on Saturday, a show of strength that underscored its ability to hit shipping in the Strait of Hormuz if attacked. Israel has said it is considering military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites if the Islamic Republic does not resolve Western fears it is developing atomic weapons technology, something Tehran denies.
Iran says it could hit Israel and US bases in the region if it comes under attack. It has also threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, the neck of the Gulf through which 40 percent of the world's sea-borne oil exports pass. "With the fourth generation of the Fateh 110, the armed forces of our country are able to target and destroy land and sea targets, enemy headquarters missile seats, ammunition sites, radars and other points," Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in quotes carried by the official IRNA news agency.
The missile has a range of around 300 km (180 miles), meaning it could strike Iran's immediate neighbours and might also be able to hit Hormuz shipping, as well as energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and the US fifth fleet in Bahrain.