World
October 9, 2024 15:30
amsterdam - Iran is constructing a large underground factory in secret, capable of producing ballistic missiles in large quantities, including hypersonic missiles reaching speeds of 18,500 kilometers per hour.
The production is happening deep in the rocks in the mountainous area around Tehran, between the cities of Karaj and Eshtehard, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The rockets are being supplied to Iranian 'friends' Hezbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist groups such as the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The facility is named 'Shahid Soltani Garrison' and is reportedly heavily guarded. Western intelligence agencies have observed a significant increase in activities in the area in the second half of this year, as seen in satellite imagery.
The operation is led by the Al-Ghadir missile command unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been on international sanction lists for a decade.
The Telegraph speculates that Israel might target this complex in a retaliatory strike following recent missile attacks from Iran.
The intelligence on the rocket factory was provided by the National Council of Resistance of Iran and passed on to Western authorities. The group previously exposed the existence of Iran's clandestine nuclear facility in Natanz in 2002.
Brigadier General Partovi is said to be the commander of the rocket site, according to the Resistance Council.
'Shahid Soltani Garrison' originally consisted of warehouses but has reportedly expanded to include a network of tunnels, equipped with ventilation shafts.
The rockets produced at Garrison include the Shabab 3 (Meteor 3) and the Fattah-class missiles, with the latter being mainly supplied to Russia. The Shabab 3 missile, which initially had a range of 1300 kilometers, can now reach up to 2100 kilometers. The Fattah missile is a highly advanced hypersonic missile reaching speeds of 16,000 to 18,000 kilometers per hour, with a range of 1400 kilometers.
Hypersonic missiles can travel faster than the speed of sound, making interception difficult. These missiles can also be launched from aircraft.
Iran openly admits to constructing tunnels around military facilities to enhance protection against aerial attacks.