Iran has launched two missiles with ‘Israel must be wiped out’ written on the side in Hebrew as the country continues to ignore criticism over its ballistic weapon tests.
The rockets were test-fired in Iran’s eastern Alborz mountain range in a new show of force by the Islamic Republic as US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel.
Such phrases have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran – but the latest test comes after the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers, including America. It also comes a day after the country carried out a similar launch
Hard-liners in Iran’s military have fired rockets and missiles despite US objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television.
There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was scheduled to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal.
Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it.
‘The 2,000km (1,240 mile) range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime,’ Hajizadeh said. ‘Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles.’
Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to immediately comment. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past.
Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Mideast, has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Hajizadeh stressed Iran would not fire the missiles in anger or start a war with Israel.
‘We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue long war,’ he said.
The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticised another missile launch that day, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council.
A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the US is now underway, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. In the time since the deal, however, hard-liners in Iran’s military have made several shows of strength.
U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a Security Council resolution. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the ballistic missile program.
Iran has also fired rockets near US warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months.
In January, Iran seized 10 US sailors in the Gulf when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews ‘misnavigated,’ the U.S. military said.
The sailors were taken to a small port facility on Farsi Island, held for about 15 hours and released after US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke several times with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
