Common Questions

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

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.

More questions

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

How the World Sees Them

Iran

The Emad is a flagship precision asset for the IRGC, demonstrating that Iran can threaten hardened targets at range. Its deployment in waves alongside Khorramshahr and Kheibarshekan signals a deliberate effort to saturate and probe Israeli defences.

Israel

Israeli air-defence doctrine depends on layered interception, but the Emad's terminal manoeuvring has exposed gaps in that doctrine. The IDF acknowledged failed intercepts near Dimona, raising urgent questions about the adequacy of Arrow and David's Sling against guided re-entry vehicles.

Gulf States

Saudi Arabia and the UAE sit within Emad range and quietly track each confirmed penetration of Israeli defences as a proxy indicator of their own vulnerability to an Iranian strike in any future escalation.

United States

Washington monitors Emad development closely as a benchmark for Iranian long-range precision capability. Its proven ability to penetrate Israeli defences strengthens arguments within the Pentagon for supplying additional interceptor stocks to Israel.