The way I fig’er it: nothing that Iran has done in terms of its nuclear development at its nuclear sites have required similar air strikes from Israel. That means Israel was more nervous about nuke development in Syria than it is about Iran (at least, as of last week). Add to this Turkish involvement, and it is beginning to look like something really big was destroyed by the IAF last week.

Weight of Glory on September 13, 2007 at 9:46 PM

Thanks guys for the background information.

I thought Limerick and JiangxiDad contributed some informative comments that helped me understand the situation better.

Question:

Has Iran developed the long-range delivery system capable of firing missiles at Israel?

The last I checked, they haven’t. However, if the answer is yes, I wonder if that info played any part in the Israeli-Turkish military strike?

ColtsFan on September 14, 2007 at 12:10 AM

Here is what I was looking for earlier: the Shahab-3.

The Shahab-3 (Persian: شهاب-3, meaning “Meteor-3″) is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the Nodong-1. An early variant could fly 1,300 km; a later one may reach nearly 2,100 km. It was tested from 1998 to 2003 and added to the military arsenal on July 7, 2003, with an official unveiling by Ayatollah Khamenei on July 20.

The forerunners to this missile include the Shahab-1 and Shahab-2. The then-Iranian Defense Minister Admiral Shamkhani has denied that Iran plans to develop a Shahab-4.

The Shahab-3 was first seen in public on September 25, 1998, in Azadi Square, Tehran in a parade held to commemorate the Iranian Sacred Defence Week.

Iran has conducted at least six test flights of the Shahab 3. During the first one, in July 1998, the missile reportedly exploded in mid-air during the latter portion of its flight; U.S. officials wondered whether the test was a failure or the explosion was intentional. A second, successful test took place in July 2000. In September 2000, Iran conducted a third test, in which the missile reportedly exploded shortly after launch. In May 2002, Iran conducted another successful test, leading then-Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani to say the test improved the Shahab-3’s “power and accuracy.” Another successful test reportedly occurred in July 2002. On July 7, 2003, the foreign ministry spokesman said that Iran had completed a final test of the Shahab 3 “a few weeks ago” that was “the final test before delivering the missile to the armed forces,” according to a New York Times report.

On November 9, 2004, Shamkhani said Iran could mass-produce the missile.

On November 2, 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles to begin 10 days of military war games. Iranian state television reported “dozens of missiles were fired including Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 missiles. The missiles had ranges from 300 km to up to 2,000 km…Iranian experts have made some changes to Shahab-3 missiles installing cluster warheads in them with the capacity to carry 1,400 bombs.” These launches come after some United States-led military exercises in the Persian Gulf on October 30, 2006, meant to train for blocking the transport of weapons of mass destruction [1].

Good Grief!! The Iranian Shahab-3 can easily reach Israel.

ColtsFan on September 14, 2007 at 12:20 AM