Iran’s military forces executed a missile exercise on Friday, targeting simulated objectives near the Persian Gulf in a strategic move to discourage external threats, as reported by local media.

The operation, conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy, commenced on Thursday in a critical maritime zone that includes the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, according to a Reuters report.

Iranian state media highlighted the substantial launch of Qadr 110, Qadr 380, and Qadr 360 cruise missiles, alongside ballistic missiles, aimed at designated areas in the Gulf of Oman on Friday.

Television broadcasts captured the dramatic launch sequences, showcasing missiles as they hit their intended targets.

In an image released on Thursday, December 4, 2025, by Sepahnews, part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a missile is seen being launched during the drills. (Photo: Sepahnews via AP)

State media said the drills demonstrated the “unwavering spirit and resistance” of Iran’s sailors in confronting threats, Reuters also reported.

The drill is the second one after the Israel-Iran war in June that killed nearly 1,100 people in Iran, including military commanders and nuclear scientists. Missile attacks by Iran killed 28 in Israel. 

An Iranian missile is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran Aug. 20, 2025.  (Iranian Army/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)

Since the end of the war, Iran has increasingly insisted it is ready to counter any future Israeli attack. Iran launched its first naval drill in the area in August.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is mainly in charge of operations in the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The national navy is in charge of Sea of Oman and beyond. 

Iran has long threatened to close off the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all global oil traded passes, according to The Associated Press.

In this image provided Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a missile is launched as a part of a drill near the Persian Gulf. (Sepahnews via AP)

The U.S. Navy has long patrolled the Mideast through its Bahrain-based 5th Fleet to keep the waterways open.