TEHRAN—Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a mock-up aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported on July 29.
It was the latest barrage in a drill in which the previous day saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches.
Drone footage captured by the Guard 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.
The launches took place on July 29, said Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard’s aerospace division. He told state television it was first time the Guard had done this, though the paramilitary force is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.
However, the drill clearly meant to send a message to the United States.
The drill—and the American response to it—underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the United States after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of U.S. forces in Iraq.
While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the United States for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a years-long U.N. weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.
Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired July 28 from the exercise called “Great Prophet 14.” Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.
State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers, and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire “long-range ballistic missiles” as well during the drill that continued July 29.
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, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.
“The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all-clear was declared after the threat ... had passed,” said U.S. Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.
Both bases are hundreds of miles away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.
Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country’s air force.
Other footage from the exercise aired by Iran’s state television showed fast boats encircling the mock-up carrier, kicking up white waves in their wake. While Iran’s naval forces are dwarfed by the U.S. Navy, its commanders practice so-called swarm tactics aimed to overwhelm the U.S. carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.
It wasn’t immediately clear if all the footage was from July 28, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore the date July 27. The exercise had been expected as satellite photos released July 27 showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat.
A black-and-white satellite photo taken July 28 by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replica’s bow and several of its fake jet fighters.
