Iran fires missile that can hit Israel

“We will chase the enemies on the ground and in the sky and we are able react strongly to enemy’s threats in shortest possible time.”

The United States, which has never ruled out military action against Iranian atomic facilities, condemned the missile tests.

“Iran’s development of ballistic missiles is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and completely inconsistent with Iran’s obligations to the world,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

He expressed concern that Iran’s ballistic missiles could be used as “a delivery vehicle for a potential nuclear weapon”.

“It’s evidence that the missile threat is not an imaginary one,” commented US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Along with the Shahab-3, also test-fired were the Zelzal, with a range of up to 400km, and the Fateh which has a range of around 170km.

Television pictures showed footage of the Shahab-3 and other missiles being launched, apparently successfully, leaving huge clouds of smoke and dust as they soared into a cloudless sky.