Iran Introduces Optically Guided Ballistic Missile

Iran has announced the development of a new optically guided ballistic missile, Qasem Basir, which it claims is capable of evading advanced missile defense systems.

The missile was unveiled by Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh.

He said in a national television interview that the missile offered improved maneuverability and was resistant to interception by systems such as the U.S.-made THAAD and Patriot, as well as Israeli missile defenses.

Structurally, the new system repeats the Haj Qasem medium-range missile, which had a detachable warhead with a range of up to 1,400 kilometers.

The new version incorporates an optical-electronic homing system in addition to an inertial navigation system with satellite correction. Images of the guidance head were shown during the broadcast.

Nasirzadeh said that during testing on April 17, the missile had successfully identified and struck a target over 1,200 kilometers away.

The missile’s improved maneuverability is reportedly based on the lessons learned from two previous Iranian missile strikes on Israel in 2024.

While Iran has previously deployed optical homing systems on shorter-range missiles like the Zolfaghar Basir, this is the first known use of such a system on a medium-range ballistic missile.

The announcement followed a strike by an unidentified Iranian missile near Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv.

According to the Israeli military, the missile landed in the airport vicinity after “several attempts” to intercept it. The effectiveness of those attempts is still under review. Other missile launches from Yemen were reported in the days prior, but only this one was considered relatively successful.

At the time, Israel had deployed two U.S. THAAD batteries and at least one Arrow 3 interceptor system, which is designed to defend against high-altitude, long-range threats.

Earlier reports indicated that Iran was developing a new ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, with a range of up to 3,000 kilometers, based on North Korean designs.