The 40-day war between Iran on one side and the US and the Zionist regime on the other was more than a military confrontation. It became a real-world testing ground for advanced missile technologies and integrated tactics against sophisticated air-defense systems. For the first time, a wide range of ballistic missiles, maneuverable missiles, hypersonic missiles, suicide drones, and multi-stage warheads were deployed on a large scale against one of the most dense and advanced missile-defense networks in the world.
The performance of these systems, and the penetration of part of Iran's missile strikes through multiple defensive layers, has drawn the attention of strategic research centers and military experts worldwide. Many analysts believe the significance of this war lies not merely in the number of missiles launched or targets struck, but in the demonstrated ability to design and execute complex operations in which different offensive systems functioned in a coordinated and complementary manner.
In this context, Nournews spoke with a senior military official about lesser-known aspects of the technologies employed during the conflict, particularly “rainfall warheads,” which emerged as one of the most notable features of Iran's missile capabilities and played a significant role in penetrating multilayered missile-defense networks.
At the outset of the interview, the official said: “Many people, due to limited familiarity with developments in this field, measure missile power solely by range or warhead weight. In modern warfare, however, more important indicators exist. The ability to design multilayered operations, simultaneously employ different offensive systems, select warheads tailored to specific targets, and saturate enemy air-defense networks constitutes a major component of missile power today.”
He added: “What was demonstrated during the 40-day war was not simply the launch of a number of missiles while most of our launch facilities were under continuous threat of enemy bombardment. In many operations, suicide drones, precision-guided ballistic missiles, missiles equipped with multi-stage warheads, maneuverable missiles, and in some cases hypersonic missiles were employed simultaneously. Each system had a distinct mission but operated within a unified operational plan.”
Challenging the World's Most Advanced Missile Defenses
Referring to the defensive systems used by the US and the Zionist regime, the official said: “Iranian missiles did not face ordinary systems. Patriot PAC-3, THAAD, David's Sling, and the Arrow missile family are among the most advanced operational missile-defense systems in the world.”
He explained that Arrow-3 was designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, THAAD operates at very high altitudes during the terminal phase of flight, while Arrow-2 and David's Sling cover intermediate defensive layers. Patriot serves as the final defensive layer against threats that penetrate other systems. “As a result, the US and the Zionist regime effectively possessed an exceptional multilayered missile-defense network during the war.”
He continued: “From a military perspective, the importance of the 40-day war lies not simply in missile numbers or damage inflicted. Its strategic value stems from the sustained pressure placed on a network composed of the world's most advanced missile-defense systems. No country has previously challenged such a complex defensive architecture.”
Secret Behind Penetrating Multilayered Shields
According to the official, one of the key factors behind successful missile operations was the use of combined and multilayered attacks.
“On the battlefield, no missile operates alone. Suicide drones typically arrive first to engage enemy warning and defense networks, consume interceptor missile inventories, and create initial saturation conditions. They are followed by precision-guided ballistic missiles, multi-stage warheads, and maneuverable missiles.”
He added that hypersonic missiles, due to their extremely high speed, maneuverability during the terminal phase, and precision, sharply reduce the reaction time available to defensive systems. “Under such conditions, a defense network must simultaneously manage hundreds of tracking, classification, and engagement decisions. In modern warfare, saturating a defense system is as important as missile destructive power.”
The real value of this operational architecture, he said, lies in the combination of capabilities. “When a defense system simultaneously faces suicide drones, ballistic missiles, multi-stage targets, and maneuverable missiles, it must process an enormous volume of information and threats within a short period. The greater the number of simultaneous threats, the higher the probability that some will penetrate. Success in missile warfare today depends less on any single missile and more on the ability to design a combined operation.”
“Rainfall Warheads”: A Key Link in the Operational Chain
The official then addressed “rainfall warheads,” a capability that attracted significant media attention during and after the 40-day war.
“One common misconception is that any missile releasing multiple objects is automatically classified as an MIRV or MRV system. These concepts, however, are fundamentally different.”
He explained: “In an MRV system (Multiple Reentry Vehicle), several warheads separate from the main missile and follow independent trajectories toward the target. In an MIRV system (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle), each warhead can strike a different target. In both cases, separation generally occurs outside the atmosphere, and each warhead reenters independently.”
He continued: “Images released from Iranian strikes against enemy positions clearly show that the Armed Forces used different missile types depending on the target, including missiles equipped with rainfall or cluster warheads. In this type of warhead, after completing most of its flight path, the missile opens during the terminal phase at lower altitude and disperses numerous submunitions over the target area.”
How Rainfall Warheads Work
“In rainfall warheads, the objective is not merely greater explosive power,” the official explained. “The primary goal is expanding target coverage and complicating interception. When a missile divides into multiple submunitions during the final phase of flight, the defense system suddenly faces numerous threats instead of one.”
He added: “If the target is a command building, communications center, aircraft shelter, or radar system, a precision warhead is the best option. But if the target is a large military base, a group of air-defense systems, runways, extensive storage facilities, or large installations, a rainfall warhead may be more effective.”
According to the official, “Analysis of recently released imagery demonstrates that Iran is not dependent on a single operational model. The Armed Forces employ different types of warheads according to the nature of the target. In some missions, precision strikes against a specific point are prioritized; in others, covering a broader area or engaging multiple targets within a defined zone is the objective.”
He stressed: “Rather than relying on a single weapon type, Iran has developed a diverse portfolio of indigenous warheads and attack methods. In other words, it possesses both precision-strike warheads and rainfall and multi-stage warheads, enabling commanders to select the most suitable option for each mission and target.”
From Missile Power to Operational Design Power
Concluding the interview, the senior military official said: “What we witnessed during the 40-day war was not merely the display of a particular missile or technology. It was the demonstration of an advanced operational architecture in which drones, ballistic missiles, rainfall warheads, precision warheads, and maneuverable missiles functioned as part of a single network.
He added: “Today, the contest between missiles and air defenses is not a battle between one weapon and one system; it is a competition between two complex networks. Success belongs to the side that can shorten the enemy's decision-making time, increase the volume of simultaneous threats, and continuously pressure defensive layers through the intelligent combination of different tools.”
He concluded: “Much of what was observed during the 40-day war can be analyzed within this framework. The significance lies not in missile range or numbers, but in the ability to design operations capable of forcing the world's most advanced defense systems to respond simultaneously across multiple levels and fronts. This is where missile technology and the art of strategic operational design converge.”
NOURNEWS