On Tuesday Iranian state media published footage of what was described as part of a simulated military attack on a major Israeli airbase by the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC utilized naval assets to fire a range of munitions, including from ships and submarines in what is clearly a threatening message aimed at Israel amid its ongoing onslaught in Gaza, in the context of the planned Shahid Mahdavi exercises.
Top commander of the IRGC, Gen. Hossein Salami, claimed that his forces for the first time successfully launched a long-range ballistic missiles from a warship.
"The IRGC for the first time has fired ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Oman," state television cited. "The firing of a long-range ballistic missile from the warship was successfully carried out."
"This new achievement increases the range of our naval influence and power to any desired location because our ocean-traversing warships can be at any point in the oceans," Salami announced. "There will be no safe place for any power that wants to create insecurity for us."
The video features two Iranian-made long range ballistic missiles, the Emad and Qadr, which are showcased being launched and hitting targets.
Watch the IRGC simulated attack on an Israeli airbase below:
⚡️BREAKING
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) February 13, 2024
Iran has released a video in which it targets a mock-up of Israel's Palmachim air base hosting F-35s, by land and sea with precision ballistic missiles.
Netanyahu recently issued a warning to Iran from this air base
In addition, Iran seems to have prepared special… pic.twitter.com/oZnxM4Vx7A
Importantly, and sure to gain the attention of leaders in Tel Aviv, the whole IRGC exercise envisioned an attack on Israel's central Palmachim airbase, which has been used heavily in Gaza operations.
Iranian state television has described Palmachim as "largest airbase of the Zionist regime in occupied territories." The simulated attack, and then subsequent release of a propaganda video, appears to telegraph what leaders in Tehran would like to do in terms of war plans.
🚀 شلیک موشک بالستیک دزفول از ناو شهید مهدوی به صورت کانتینر پرتاب pic.twitter.com/XxnojGeM3y
— MESHKAT (@projectmeshkat) February 13, 2024
Israel has for years warned allies that it is in the path of Iran's increasingly longer range ballistic missile arsenal. Israeli officials have not only complained about what they see as a burgeoning nuclear weapons program, but increasingly sophisticated and longer range delivery methods.