DUBAI, March 3: Iran has dramatically escalated its retaliation against U.S. and Israeli forces by deploying the cutting-edge Fattah-2 hypersonic missile, Tehran claims, hailing it as a near-impossible-to-stop superweapon in the chaotic aftermath of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination.
The Fattah-2—branded “Conqueror” in Farsi—boasts blistering Mach 15 speeds (over 18,000 km/h), a 1,500 km range, and a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) warhead that zigzags unpredictably to dodge even top-tier defenses like Israel’s Iron Dome or U.S. Aegis systems. Powered by advanced liquid fuel with thrust-vectoring nozzles, it carries a 200kg payload tailored for pulverizing aircraft carriers, airbases, and command centers—precisely the assets hammering Iran’s nuclear sites and navy.
Social media erupted with grainy videos of launches amid the strikes, showing fiery trails arcing toward Gulf flotillas and Israeli outposts. Iranian brass boasts battlefield triumphs, including downed U.S. jets, though skeptics point to scant evidence as Tel Aviv’s F-35s still rule the skies and U.S. carriers report no hits. Unveiled last year as a “generation-killer,” the missile’s combat debut underscores Tehran’s do-or-die gamble: overwhelm foes with speed and numbers before regime collapse.
Experts warn that while Fattah-2’s maneuverability outfoxes most interceptors, mass salvos could still falter against layered defenses—yet even one letdown hit could jolt global markets and embolden proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis. As Iran’s missile silos burn under relentless bombing, this high-stakes rollout signals a battered leadership’s last defiant roar, with the world watching if hype matches havoc.
