Iran mocks reports its missile strikes fell short

Iran said Sunday the two-stage missiles it fired at Islamic State targets in Syria broke apart over the Iraqi desert as planned, mocking reports that some of the projectiles fell short.

State TV’s website quoted the airspace division chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying “we had coordinated the fall of the engines in the desert in Iraq” in advance.

“The missiles we used were two-stage, it means that the engine separates from the warhead,” said Hajizadeh.

Hajizadeh said U.S. drones hovered over the targets shortly after the Iranian missiles hit them. He said the U.S. may have been informed beforehand about the attack, as they had informed the Russian military, which may have relayed the information to the Americans.

The Guard said it fired six such missiles on Sunday at IS targets in the city of Deir el-Zour, more than 370 miles away.

He mocked media reports citing Israeli sources who said some of the missiles fell short of their targets, suggesting that the Israelis were unable to identify two-stage missiles, which are designed to split apart mid-flight.

“Pity those who call themselves experts and do not understand that these were the first-stage engines (that fell), while the warheads hit targets.”

Iranian reports said the guard launched six Zolfasghar and Qiam missiles. The latter have detachable warheads.