Iran launched its first military exercise since the end of its 12-day war with Israel, state media reported Thursday, with navy vessels firing missiles at sea targets in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.
Dubbed “Sustainable Power 1404,” the drill comes as Tehran seeks to project strength after the war, during which Israel destroyed air defense systems and bombed nuclear and other strategic sites. State TV said naval forces would launch cruise missiles and deploy drones, though no footage of the exercise was immediately shown.
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Iran’s navy, with roughly 18,000 personnel, largely avoided direct combat during the June conflict. Based in Bandar Abbas, it patrols the Gulf of Oman, the Indian Ocean, and the Caspian Sea, while the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf are primarily monitored by the Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces, known for intercepting Western ships and shadowing U.S. vessels.
Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said new missiles have been deployed to counter potential threats. Meanwhile, Iran has halted cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency amid uranium enrichment tensions, prompting European powers to warn that unresolved disputes by August 31 could trigger a reimposition of UN sanctions.
Analysts caution that renewed sanctions could further strain Iran’s struggling economy.
Source: Agency