Iran test-fires missiles, sinks warship-sized target

A surface-to-surface missile is launched during a drill at an undisclosed location in Iran during war games carried out earlier this year in July. / Hamed Jafarnejad,AP Photo/Fars News Agency, File

(CBS/AP) TEHRAN, Iran - Iran has test-fired four missiles designed to hit warships during a drill near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian military commander said.

The missiles were fired simultaneously and hit a "big target" the size of a warship, sinking it within 50 seconds, Gen. Ali Fadavi of the powerful Revolutionary Guard was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

The Fars report late Monday was the first indication of an Iranian military exercise taking place simultaneously and close to U.S.-led joint naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf, including mine-sweeping drills, which got under way last week.

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The U.S. Navy claims the maneuvers are not directly aimed at Iran, but the West and its regional allies have made clear they would react against attempts by Tehran to carry out threats to try to close critical Gulf oil shipping lanes in retaliation for tighter sanctions over its disputed nuclear program.

Fadavi did not elaborate on the ongoing Iranian exercise or the type of missiles fired but said the Guard is planning a "massive naval maneuver in the near future" in the strait.

Iran regularly holds maneuvers to upgrade its military readiness as well as test its equipment.

The latest drill comes amid tension over Iran's nuclear program and Israel's suggestion that it might unilaterally strike Iranian nuclear facilities to scuttle what the U.S. and its allies believe are efforts to build an atomic bomb.

Tehran denies it is pursuing such weapons and insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

On Sunday, a senior Guard commander warned that Iran would target U.S. bases in the region in the event of war with Israel. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Guard's aerospace division, claimed no Israeli attack can happen without the support of its most important ally, the United States, making all U.S. military bases a legitimate target.

In an interview with "CBS This Morning," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed Israel's threats over its nuclear program.

"By the principle of it, we don't take the Zionist threat seriously," he said ahead of his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly. "We don't even take them into account." The entire interview will be aired on Wednesday morning.

Iran has in the past also warned that oil shipments through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the route for a fifth of the world's oil, will be in jeopardy if a war breaks out.

For its part, Israel believes that any attack on Iran would likely unleash retaliation in the form of Iranian missiles as well as rocket attacks by Iranian proxies Hezbollah and Hamas on its northern and southern borders.

[LeeTay1]

Simple, as any military in the world knows. You destroy their infrastructure. Nothing will discourage any kind of military threat as bombing their gas stations, (military doesn't move without fuel), their water supply, their food supply.
No army in the world can operate if their infrastructure is destroyed. That is where the US has it all over the rest of the world. Anyone can hurt us, but an attack on our infrastructure would only inconvenience us. We'd just move to our other lines of supply.

[wenaolong]

Yes, obviously unless he couches his answers or statements into the format which best resembles what you WANT to hear then he is simply "talking past you". That's an insult to the intelligence of anyone listening! Oh, that's normal for CBS, NBC and FOX. Never mind, I just talked past myself there. I see your point, when someone doesn't concur with your point of view or force fit their comments into accommodating your paradigm, then in fact they are committing the fallacy of "talking past". Please forgive the fellow, he is not able to shrink his mindset into the required script for being spoonfed to the avid viewers of CBS.

[mikeinwisconsin]

The US gets no oil from Iran or Saudi for that matter. However Europe does so why aren't there German, British, French, Austrian naval ships protecting the area.

Remind me again why American ships are there? Especially since we know that all the oil consumed in the US comes from Venezuela, Canada and Texas.

We arm Saudi, Kuwait, Israel to the teeth with free jets, satelite support, special forces etc. Is this a peeing contest?

[bigcockjohnson]

All the Iranians should have to disarm and let the Israelis rule them like they did the Russians or the Palestinians If the Iranians had warships 20 or 30 miles off our coast the Americans would that an act of war. These countries that have oceans bordering have 200 miles they own. Are warships are there. They are not here.

[takacrat]

Why would Iran need to build a Missile that could hit a Very Large Boat? Now who is Threatening others!!

[Timeload]

Iran is one of the most peaceful of the major countries in the world since they have not started a war since the 1700's!
And why is it that Ahmadinejad's questions/statements are never addressed, yet the CNN commentator expects this leader to constantly address theirs!

[laughingatlibs]

These bozos fought Iraq for ten years and couldn't make headway. Sure, their defense is much improved but using school chkildren as mine detectors won't work this time.

[takacrat]

It's ether to Nuke them First or to wait and and then Nuke them Second, after they Nuke US FIRST!!

[ekaneti]

Those missiles can be electronically jammed. Iran has no idea how weak they really are.

[Patrickdh10]

If Iran dared to fire a missile unprovoked at one of our ships I daresay that would be the last missile they would be able to launch for a long time. Their military bases,airports and anything else of strategic value would immediately be reduced to rubble. They would literally be blown back to the stone age.

[joevvc]

stone age? How?

[bigcockjohnson]

I really and truly wish Iran could unleash on our ships and sink them all. We are the aggressor. Why are our ships there? The only hope for peace if Russia and China told Israel if you attack Iran we attack you.