In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday it had targeted Israel’s Ben Gurion airport and an air force base in the area.

“The heavy Khorramshahr-4 missiles carrying one-tonne warheads were launched at dawn today … toward the heart of Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion airport and the base of the Israeli air force’s 27th squadron located at the airport,” the IRGC said.

The IRGC issued a formal statement through the Tasnim news agency claiming that its heavy Khorramshahr-4 missiles had successfully “penetrated seven layers of air defense” to reach their targets.2 Iranian officials also said the missile barrage disrupted activity at the airport, a statement echoed in Israeli media reports.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that sirens were activated across 143 settlements in the Gush Dan region.2 While the IDF reported that the vast majority of the ballistic threats were neutralized by the multi-layered Arrow-3 and David’s Sling systems, at least one missile launched during the morning barrage reportedly struck an open area in a central town.

However, analysts quickly spotted flaws in Tehran’s claims. There is no 27th Squadron in the Israeli Air Force4—a detail suggesting possible intelligence errors.

The fourth generation Khorramshahr-4, also known as Kheibar, was unveiled in May 2023. According to Iranian military specifications, the missile has a range of approximately 2,000 kilometers, a length of 13 meters, and carries a warhead weighing about 1,500 kilograms.

Iranian state media claimed “effective hits” on the airport complex, though commercial traffic at Ben Gurion remains halted primarily due to ongoing safety protocols rather than confirmed direct runway hits.

As tensions spiral and air defenses face unprecedented pressure, the world watches whether Iran’s ballistic gambit marks a new phase in the conflict—or a propaganda victory built on exaggerated claims.