New missile enters Israel-Iran conflict: What we know about Tehran's Sejil

Published on 20/06/2025 - 13:51 GMT+2

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) connected Wednesday announced nan usage of a super-heavy Sejil rocket arsenic portion of what it said was nan 12th activity of strikes connected Israel.

Despite its predominant quality successful nan Tehran regime's subject parades since it was reportedly brought into work successful 2012, nan Sejil missile's motorboat against Israel marks nan first clip 1 of its prized assets was utilized successful nonstop confrontation.

Its real-world exertion besides reveals a displacement successful gears successful Tehran's deterrence calculations and response.

The Sejil, aliases "Brimstone", is classified arsenic a surface-to-surface ballistic rocket and was developed wholly wrong Iran by nan Ministry of Defence-run Aerospace Industries Organisation.

Although immoderate reports claimed that Tehran utilized akin Chinese-made missiles arsenic a method ground for nan Sejil, its size and different features propose it is entirely designed and produced successful Iran.

The missile, developed to switch nan Shabab people of rockets successful work since nan precocious 1980s, has a scope of astir 2,000 kilometres and uses coagulated substance arsenic propellant, making it quicker to motorboat compared to liquid-fueled equivalents.

The Sejil is manoeuvrable successful each stages of flight, making it difficult to intercept by accepted aerial defence systems. Although specifications connected its velocity are unclear, Tehran reportedly stated that it is tin of reaching Tel Aviv successful astir 7 minutes if launched from cardinal Iran.

In position of method specifications, reports opportunity it measures 25 metres successful length, 1.25 metres successful diameter, and weighs astir 2.3 metric tonnes. It tin transportation warheads weighing up to 700 kilograms and is believed to beryllium tin of carrying atomic warheads.

The Sejil first appeared successful a section trial successful 2008, earlier its improved version, nan Sejil-2, was developed successful 2009. In this version, nan warhead creation was modified, and guidance wings were added to heighten accuracy.

However, immoderate reports declare that Sejil-2 mightiness not beryllium a abstracted model, but alternatively a trial sanction for nan aforesaid rocket. Yet footage from 2021 subject exercises featuring nan Sejil shows updates to earlier missiles of nan aforesaid exemplary person been made, notably to its pitchy vanes.

Furthermore, rumours of different updated model, nan Sejil-3, opportunity that a much modern type was developed pinch a maximum scope of 4,000 kilometres, meaning that successful mentation it could almost scope Brussels from Tehran.

Israeli authorities said connected Thursday that nan Sejil was successfully intercepted, pinch debris causing harm to a vehicle.