Naval forces in the Gulf of Oman fired several of the missiles at test targets placed in the desert in central Iran. The aim of the war game was to practise for an attack on the Israeli military’s Palmachim Airbase south of Tel Aviv.

The air base is a major operations centre for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza to destroy Iranian-backed Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and European Union.

“Following the latest threats by the Zionist regime … the IRGC air force has declared its readiness to destroy any threat in occupied Palestine [Israel] through a major missile exercise,” it was reported on state radio.

The missiles were reportedly mainly of the Fateh and Emad type, which have a range of around 1700 kilometres.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA released a video of the missile launches, which were also carried out using the Shahid Mahdavi warship.

The Shahid Mahdavi is a former container ship that was converted and unveiled about a year ago. It is used as a floating base for the Revolutionary Guard and has multiple launchers for drones and missiles.

Iran frequently puts on displays of military might. But over the course of the Gaza war, the Islamic Republic has tried to showcase its military capabilities even more than usual.

The Revolutionary Guard is Iran’s elite paramilitary force and is far more powerful than the regular troops.

Israel has been considered Iran’s arch-enemy since 1979. The leadership in Tehran has repeatedly threatened the Jewish state with destruction.

In mid-January, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for the killing of a general in a suspected Israeli air strike.

During the operation, positions around 1200 kilometres away were attacked – which observers interpreted as a clear signal to Israel. It would be roughly the same distance that missiles would need to travel from the west of Iran to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

– AAP