Solid-fuel tech, long range: Iran fires Sejjil missile at Israel - how Tehran’s weapon works

Israel and Iran continued strikes against each other on Thursday - the seventh day of their conflict - with the latter deploying its long-range Sejjil missiles against its rival.Also Read: Hospital bombed, nuclear sites hit: Iran-Israel clash spirals; Netanyahu vows to make 'tyrants' pay"The twelfth wave of Operation 'True Promise 3' has begun with the launch of Sejjil missiles, which are among Iran’s most accurate and powerful strategic weapons. They possess the ability to penetrate and destroy critical enemy targets," Iran's embassy in India posted on X.Tehran's use of the Sejjil comes on a day when an Iranian missile struck the Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, while other missiles hit a high-rise building and several other residential buildings in at least two sites near Tel Aviv in the Jewish State.Israel, on the other hand, targeted the Islamic Republic's Arak nuclear reactor, and other sites - including a nuclear weapons development facility near Natanz.What is the Sejjil missile?According to the Iranian embassy, the Sejjil is an ultra-heavy, long-range, two-stage missile, which is powered by solid fuel and possesses long-range capabilities. Its powering by solid fuel allows for a faster launch preparation, making it difficult for an adversary to undertake a pre-emptive strike.An Iranian indigenous weapon, it is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). The missile's 2,000-km range means that it can reach targets across the Middle East - including Israel - and into parts of Europe and Asia.As per CSIS, the Sejjil has a length of 18 metres, a diameter of 1.25 metres, and a launch weight of 23,600 kg. Capable of delivering a payload of around 700 kg, the missile was first tested in 2008, and has not been tested since 2012. Also, Tehran is likely to have developed multiple versions of the Sejjil system - in 2009, it referred to a test launch as the "Sejjil 2." An unconfirmed report stated the "Sejjil 3" could also be in development.Iran's deployment of the Sejjil against Israel is apparently the first time it has been used in a conflict.