CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday it used a new "Haj Qasem" ballistic missile for the first time in a fresh wave of attacks against Israel, describing it as an advanced precision-guided weapon named after slain commander Qassem Soleimani, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported.
Tasnim said the IRGC claimed the strikes targeted sites in Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. It also said the barrage hit U.S. military bases in the region, including facilities in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq.
The IRGC said the operation included drones and several other ballistic missiles, including the Ghadr, Emad, and Fattah models, and warned of further attacks.
Iran's Haj Qasem is a road-mobile, solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile with a reported range of about 1,400 kilometers, designed to strike high-value targets.
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran entered their 18th day on Tuesday, causing heavy casualties and widespread destruction, according to Iranian authorities. Iran has responded with attacks that have effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and drawn much of the region into the conflict. ■
