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Iran's new missiles raise new concerns

The missiles, made in North Korea, put European countries within firing range, an Israeli official says.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 28, 2006

JERUSALEM - Iran has received its first batch of North Korean-made surface-to-surface missiles that put European countries within firing range, Israel's military intelligence chief said in an interview published Thursday.

The BM-25 missiles have a range of 1,550 miles and are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the Haaretz daily reported.

Israeli security officials confirmed the Haaretz report. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, who spoke to Haaretz, has warned of the new Iranian missiles in several recent interviews with the media. Iran already has missiles capable of reaching Israel, but the BM-25s are a significant upgrade over its previous top-of-the-line missiles - the Shihab-4 and Shihab-3.

Those missiles spurred Israel to develop its Arrow-2 antiballistic missile system, which can intercept the Iranian missiles.

Israeli concerns have been heightened by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent calls to wipe Israel "off the map."

[Last modified April 28, 2006, 01:17:12]