IDF spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated on Saturday evening that the rocket used by Hezbollah in the attack on Majdal Shams, which claimed the lives of 12 teenagers and children, was a "Falaq 1" rocket of Iranian origin, manufactured in Iran. "Its warhead - the explosive material - is more than 110 pounds. The forensic findings at the scene indicate this rocket, which is only found with Hezbollah," he emphasized.
The rocket mounted on the vehicle
(Video: Al-Manar)
Hezbollah first claimed responsibility for firing a "Falaq 1" rocket at Israel in the current war at the end of last January, targeting the Golan area. According to Arabic publications, it is a rocket developed in the 1990s, produced in Iran. The rocket has a diameter of 9.4 inches, a length of 4.3 feet, and a range of about 6.2 miles. It operates on solid fuel and has a significant warhead. The rocket can be mounted on jeeps and can be launched from ground launchers, and it can also hit naval targets. It weighs 245 pounds and its warhead, as Hagari mentioned, weighs about 110 pounds. An article on Sky News in Arabic claimed that it resembles the Russian BM24 missile.
Since Hezbollah revealed that it uses this rocket, there have been numerous claims of responsibility for firing it in recent months, including towards the settlements of Birnit and Zar'it in the western Galilee. There is an advanced version of the "Falaq 1" – the "Falaq 2" – which has also been used by Hezbollah in its fighting against Israel in recent months. At the beginning of June, it was reported that Hezbollah launched a "Falaq 2" missile into Israeli territory for the first time. According to a publication on "Sky News" in Arabic, the rocket has a diameter of 13.1 inches, a warhead weighing 265 pounds, and a range of up to 6.8 miles. It was claimed that the rocket's speed exceeds the speed of sound and that the missile’s load during launch is equivalent to 12 rockets of 4.2 inches. Additional publications stated that the rocket could reach an altitude of 2 miles and is launched from ground launchers and warships. It was claimed that the "Falaq 2" has a larger and more powerful engine.
At the beginning of June, a Hezbollah artillery officer said in an interview with the Lebanese channel "Al-Manar," which is affiliated with the organization, that "Falaq 1 and Falaq 2 are missiles that entered the battle based on the restrictions set by the leadership. Other types are heavy and destructive and can destroy an entire post. The Falaq missile has great destructive capability and can also reach targets up to 6.8 miles, its importance lies in its range. Each Falaq missile is equivalent to an airstrike." According to him, Hezbollah fired 20 Falaq 2 missiles in one barrage towards the Miron base, which he said is "equivalent to a fire belt." He added: "We have surprises. We have advanced to Falaq 2 and we will go further."