Iran flexes muscle by firing long-range missiles in drill

Iran on Wednesday successfully test-fired its long-range surface-to-air S-200 missile system in the ongoing military exercise in southern Persian Gulf region, Press TV reported.

Besides, various other medium-range missile systems, including Mersad (Ambush), were deployed to annihilate mock aggressive aircraft.

On Wednesday, the Iranian forces carried out the first operational test of Sayyad-3 (Hunter-3) missiles by Talash (Struggle) homegrown system to hit high-altitude targets, Tasnim news agency reported.

Capable of intercepting targets within a range of 150 km in high altitudes, Sayyad-3 has been paired with Talash missile system which also launches Sayyad-2 missiles against targets at medium altitudes.

The paired air defense system is also equipped with locally-manufactured fire control radar, dubbed Ofoq (Horizon), Tasnim said.

It was also announced here on Wednesday that since Monday when the drills began, the Iranian air defense warned several fighter jets and drones belonging to the U.S. navy not to approach the airspace of the military exercise.

Over the past three days, the air defense has given warnings to 12 aircraft of trans-regional countries to stay away from the country's airspace, Gen. Abbas Farajpour, the spokesman for the war game, was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

Iran launched a large-scale air defense exercise in the country's southern regions on Monday.

Code-named "Defenders of Velayat Skies 7," the war game covers the Persian Gulf provinces of Hormozgan and Bushehr along with the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Endit