Iran Fires Barrage Of Hypersonic Fattah-1 Missiles At Israel: What Makes Them So Lethal? | Explained

Iran on Wednesday claimed to have launched hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest wave of overnight assaults, as the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a defiant rallying call, urging that "no mercy" be shown to Israelis.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that the eleventh round of "the proud Operation Honest Promise 3" had been executed "using Fattah-1 missiles".

They further asserted that Iranian forces "have gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories".

This is reportedly not the first time that Tehran has deployed hypersonic missiles against Israel. Iran had previously launched dozens of Fattah-1 missiles during Operation True Promise II, which struck Jerusalem on 1 October 2024. However, this marks the first known instance of the missile being used in the current conflict.

What Is a Hypersonic Missile?

The term "hypersonic" typically refers to either hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) or hypersonic cruise missiles. These are highly advanced weapons that can manoeuvre mid-flight at hypersonic speeds within the Earth's atmosphere, making them exceedingly difficult to detect or intercept.

Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds of Mach 5 or greater - five times the speed of sound, which equates to roughly 3,800 miles per hour (6,100 kilometres per hour). However, according to a CNN report, most ballistic missiles reach hypersonic speeds during their descent toward a target, particularly in the terminal phase.

About the Fattah-1 Missile

Fattah-1 is Iran's first hypersonic missile and was unveiled in 2023. The missile was named by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to available reports, Fattah-1 is engineered to overcome even the most sophisticated missile defence systems, including Israel's Iron Dome and Arrow. The IRGC refers to it as the "Israel-striker".

The missile is approximately 12 metres long and has a maximum range of 1,400 kilometres. It uses a single-stage propulsion system powered by solid fuel and is capable of carrying a 200-kilogram explosive payload, according to Iran Watch.

It is fitted with a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) warhead that is designed to evade missile defences and can reach speeds of up to 17,900 kilometres per hour.

CNN cited Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, who described the warhead as being mounted on a "manoeuvrable reentry vehicle" - allowing it to change trajectory slightly during re-entry in order to avoid interception.

Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict

Despite mounting international concern, neither Iran nor Israel appears willing to de-escalate the long-range conflict that began on Friday when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iranian military and nuclear installations.

Residential areas in both countries have suffered lethal strikes since hostilities began, prompting foreign governments to begin evacuating their citizens from the region.

Israel has claimed that its strikes have killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani, along with his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid.