Iranian Official Says Tehran has Hit Moving Targets with Long-Range Ballistic Missiles

An adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that Iran has achieved a longstanding military objective by using a long-range ballistic missile to strike a moving target.

An Iranian IRGC adviser claims Iran has developed the capability to use long-range ballistic missiles against moving targets. [Photo: Hossein Velayati]

Brig. Gen. Ali Belali told Iran's semi-official Fars news agency that Iran had made progress in developing its missile capabilities through successive rounds of fighting. His remarks were reported by CBS News and Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“Right now, for example, in the area of a long-range ballistic missile that can hit a moving target, this has been one of our challenges, which, thank God, has been accomplished in the past few days,” Belali said, according to the reports.

Belali did not identify the target or provide evidence showing when or where such a strike had occurred.

He also did not specify whether the claimed moving target was a ship or another type of military asset.

The claim came amid continuing attacks and heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Several commercial vessels have reportedly been hit by unidentified projectiles in the region, according to maritime-security reports.

However, the reported attacks do not independently establish Belali's claim that an Iranian long-range ballistic missile successfully struck a moving target.

Belali said Iran would continue developing its capabilities based on lessons learned from successive conflicts. His comments represent the Iranian military's account of its missile development and have not been independently verified.