On Wednesday, Iran launched its Sejil Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) for the first time since the conflict with Israel began last Friday.
According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), three Sejil missiles were launched toward Israel on Wednesday afternoon. The Sejil, first tested in 2008, is a two-stage solid-fuel missile with an estimated maximum range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles).
This marks a new escalation on the sixth day of the Israel-Iran war, which erupted on June 13th following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory. As both sides appear to be settling into a war of attrition—and with the potential of U.S. military intervention increasing—the tempo of attacks has declined since the weekend.
Much like in recent days, the majority of Israeli strikes inside Iran continue to come from drones and projectiles reportedly launched by Mossad-linked operatives operating within the country. Iranian authorities continue to discover covert drone manufacturing facilities and individuals involved in their deployment.
Israel has also reportedly begun enforcing military censorship, making it difficult to verify specific targets struck by Israeli forces. While videos of explosions in populated urban areas continue to circulate on social media, confirmation of strikes on military infrastructure remains limited. However, the IRGC claimed on Wednesday that it had successfully destroyed several Israeli air defense systems in retaliatory strikes.
The looming threat of U.S. involvement continues to dominate concerns surrounding the conflict. The United States has deployed a significant number of air and naval assets to the region, and President Donald Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric—particularly his direct threat to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday—has heightened fears of escalation.
Though the past 48 hours have been relatively quieter than the war’s initial days, many observers fear this may simply be the calm before a broader storm.