Iran receives 'smart' missiles with over 1,000 km range

The head of the Iranian Navy, Shahram Irani, stated that the Talaeiyeh cruise missile has a flight range of over 1,000 km and is a "smart missile that can change targets mid-mission".

He also added that reconnaissance helicopters, drones, and sea-launched cruise missiles were among the new types of weapons added to the Navy's arsenal. According to him, "all of this equipment has been designed and produced by Iran's military industry".

The agency notes that while Western military analysts claim that Iran sometimes exaggerates its capabilities, Iranian-made missiles and drones are key elements of Tehran's military technology.

Attack by an Iranian drone on a tanker in the Indian Ocean

On Saturday, December 23, a drone launched from Iranian territory attacked the CHEM PLUTO tanker under the flag of Liberia in the Indian Ocean, carrying chemicals. A fire broke out on board, which was promptly extinguished. There were no casualties.

The Pentagon confirmed the incident and noted that this was the seventh attack by Iran on commercial shipping since 2021.

Attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen on commercial ships in the Red Sea

Since November, Shiite Zaidi rebels in Yemen have regularly attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea carrying cargo to/from Israel. In this way, Islamists sought revenge against Israel for conducting a ground operation against the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

On December 16, a British destroyer shot down with a Sea Viper missile a drone attempting to attack a commercial ship in the Red Sea.

In early December, a cruise missile from Houthi ground-based positions hit the commercial tanker Strinda under the flag of Norway. The vessel was seriously damaged, and a fire broke out on board.

Iran rejected US accusations of involvement in planning attacks related to Tehran by Yemen's Houthi movement on commercial ships in the Red Sea.