Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards will hold missile defense exercises on the upcoming Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
The announcement of the war games coincided with increased tension in Iran's nuclear dispute with the West, after the Islamic Republic disclosed that it is building a second uranium enrichment plant.
The reports did not say what kind of missiles would be used in the war games, which will start on Sunday, the eve of Yom Kippur. In May, Iran said it had tested a missile that defense analysts said could hit Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf.
A statement quoted by Iranian news agencies said the goal of the exercises by the Revolutionary Guards' air force, was "to raise the deterrence capability of the Iranian armed forces."
On Yom Kippur in 1973, a coalition of Arab states launched a surprise attack on Israel. The ensuing conflict, the Yom Kippur War, was particularly costly and traumatic for Israel.
General Hossein Salami, head of the Guards' air force, said that the drill would include simultaneous firings of missiles at targets. The exercises, which will begin Sunday, will last several days and take place in various locations.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly expressed alarm over Iran's nuclear ambitions and refused to rule out pre-emptive military action to stop Iran developing an atomic weapon.
Israel considers Iran a strategic threat due to its nuclear program, missile development and repeated references by Ahmadinejad to Israel's destruction.
No comments:
Post a Comment