Emad
Iranian medium-range ballistic missile deployed against Israel in 2026 conflict.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Israel's missile shield stop a guided Emad before it reaches Dimona again?
Latest on Emad
- What is the Emad missile?
- The Emad is an Iranian medium-range Ballistic missile with a range of approximately 1,700 km and a manoeuvrable re-entry vehicle carrying a roughly 750 kg warhead. It is a precision-guided evolution of the Shahab-3/Ghadr family, operated by the IRGC Aerospace Force.Source: IRGC
- Did the Emad missile penetrate Israeli air defences?
- Yes. IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin acknowledged that interceptors launched near Dimona and Arad failed to hit their targets, resulting in two direct Ballistic missile hits with warheads of hundreds of kilograms. It was the second acknowledged penetration of Israeli defences in the 2026 conflict.Source: IDF
- How does the Emad compare to the Kheibarshekan?
- Both are advanced Iranian Ballistic Missiles used together in Operation True Promise 4 salvoes. The Emad is a medium-range guided missile derived from the Shahab-3/Ghadr family; the Kheibarshekan is a newer, heavier solid-fuel missile with higher throw-weight. Iran deploys them together to saturate defences.Source: IRGC
- What is the range of the Emad missile?
- The Emad has a range of approximately 1,700 km, placing Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf States well within reach from Iranian launch sites.Source: IRGC
- Which Iranian missiles were used in Operation True Promise 4?
- The IRGC's 61st wave of Operation True Promise 4 used a mix of Emad, Kheibarshekan, and Khorramshahr-4 missiles alongside multiple-warhead Qadr missiles. This broader weapon mix was noted as more diverse than earlier waves that relied primarily on cluster munitions.Source: IRGC
Background
The Emad is an Iranian medium-range Ballistic missile developed from the Ghadr-380 lineage of the Shahab-3 family. With a range of approximately 1,700 km and a manoeuvrable re-entry vehicle carrying a warhead of roughly 750 kg, it marked a significant advance over earlier Shahab variants by adding terminal guidance, making interception harder. It is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force.
The Emad was deployed alongside the Kheibarshekan and Khorramshahr missiles during the IRGC's 61st wave of Operation True Promise 4, launched to avenge the killing of Ali Larijani. The strike killed two civilians in Ramat Gan and caused fires in Petah Tikvah and Kafr Qasim . In a separate attack, Ballistic Missiles carrying warheads of hundreds of kilograms directly struck targets near Dimona, bypassing Israeli interceptors .
The Emad's guidance capability poses a structural challenge to layered missile defences: even a system that intercepts the majority of a salvo cannot guarantee protection against the guided minority. Israel's own spokesperson acknowledged interception failure, exposing a gap that Iran has shown it can repeatedly exploit as the conflict escalates.
