Iran unleashes massive rocket attack on Israel with fattah hypersonic missiles

On Tuesday, October 1, Iran launched a massive attack on Israel. Initial reports indicated that up to 400 rockets were fired towards the country. Among them were likely Fattah hypersonic missiles. Here, we explain what is known about these missiles.

This weapon is one of the newer additions to Iran's arsenal. Publicly available information suggests that two variants have been developed so far: Fattah 1, unveiled in June last year, and Fattah 2, which includes several unspecified public improvements.

Numerous recordings from the Middle East, including Israel, are appearing on social media. Experts and analysts, however, recommend extreme caution in assessing the means used by Iran and the effectiveness of Israel's air defense systems. In the immediate aftermath of such a massive attack, accurate assessments are challenging.

However, more recordings and photos are increasingly focusing on the Fattah hypersonic missiles. If their launch towards Israel is officially confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces, it would mark the first combat use of this weapon in history.

When presenting the first variant of Fattah last year, Iranian developers boasted that these missiles have a range of about 870 miles and can penetrate all defensive shields.

This is the first missile of its kind from Iran, notable for its speed upon launch, which can reach up to Mach 13-15. For comparison, the speed of Russian Kinzhal missiles is estimated at no more than Mach 10. This high speed makes it very difficult for defending forces to intercept hypersonic missiles.

Iran's missile arsenal is substantial. It includes ballistic missiles from the Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar families, with ranges of approximately 190 miles and 435 miles, respectively. The more advanced Ghadr-110 and Emad ballistic missiles also form part of this arsenal. These missiles can be launched from mobile launchers, facilitating their concealment and making them difficult to destroy. The Ghadr-110 provides a range of about 1,243 miles, while the Emad offers about 1,090 miles. They are an advancement of the still-used Shahab-3 ballistic missiles, which have an estimated range of 808 miles.