Iran deploys “Sejjil” missile in war for first time

• Iran says the long-range “Sejjil” ballistic missile has entered the confrontation for the first time.
• The solid-fuel missile has an estimated range of 2,000-2,500 km and speeds exceeding Mach 13.

Iranian state television said Sunday that Tehran had deployed the long-range “Sejjil” ballistic missile for the first time since the start of the war involving the United States and ‘Israel’.

The announcement came amid Iran’s ongoing military campaign known as “Operation True Promise 4”, launched in response to attacks by ‘Israel’ with US support, according to Iranian officials.

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The Sejjil missile is widely regarded as one of the most significant strategic weapons in Iran’s missile arsenal. Military analysts describe it as a major step in the country’s domestic aerospace program.

Advanced solid-fuel design

Unlike many earlier Iranian ballistic missiles that rely on liquid fuel, the Sejjil is powered by a two-stage solid-fuel propulsion system.

This design allows the missile to be prepared and launched within minutes, while also making transportation and long-term storage easier compared with liquid-fuel systems.

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The missile is estimated to have a range between 2,000 and 2,500 kilometers, placing much of the Middle East within reach.

Speed and maneuverability

Technical assessments cited in regional media reports say the missile can travel at more than Mach 13, equivalent to roughly 17,000 km per hour during its terminal phase.

Its trajectory reportedly passes outside the Earth’s atmosphere before descending toward its target, a profile that may complicate interception by conventional air-defense systems.

The missile’s design also includes maneuvering capabilities intended to evade radar detection and missile defenses, though independent verification of these claims remains limited.

Upgraded Sejjil-2 variant

Iran has also developed an upgraded model known as Sejjil-2, which incorporates improvements in navigation and guidance systems.

The missile reportedly uses a combined guidance system, integrating GPS and inertial navigation. Some reports claim this configuration reduces the margin of error to less than 10 meters, although such figures have not been independently confirmed.

The missile measures about 17.5 meters in length and carries a warhead weighing roughly 650 kilograms.

Strategic symbolism

Beyond its military specifications, the missile’s name carries symbolic meaning in Iran.

“Sejjil” refers to the Quranic story in Surah Al-Fil, where stones of “sijjil” were said to have destroyed an invading army, giving the weapon a strong ideological and deterrent connotation in Iranian discourse.