Iran Test-fires ‘Fateh-110’ Ballistic Missile During Naval Drills

Iran test-fired a short-range anti-ship missile in the Strait of Hormuz for the first time in 2018 during last week’s naval drills, in a show of defiance just days before Washington re-imposed sanctions on Tehran, a US intelligence official revealed on Friday.

The source told Reuters that the Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missile was fired during huge military exercises off Iran's coast, which Tehran said were launched to "[confront] possible threats", likely referring to the US.

The missile travelled 100 miles over the delicate Strait of Hormuz, before making impact on land in Iran.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Sunday it had held war games in the Gulf over the past several days.

The naval exercises involved at least 100 small boats, which would be capable of hitting the US' sizeable naval presence in the Gulf, if war broke out.

The US issued new sanctions on Iran this week, targeting exports such as carpets and cars. A second set of tougher sanctions will be launched in November and target the country's oil industry and banking sector.