Israel Conducts Strikes on Doha and Tehran Using Air-Launched Ballistic Missiles

Israel carried out a missile strike on Doha on September 9, 2025. The target was a meeting of Hamas leadership reviewing a ceasefire proposal from the Trump administration. Israel later apologized for the strike. The same strike method was used on February 28, 2026, against a compound in Tehran.

In both cases, an Israeli F-15I aircraft released an air-launched ballistic missile while remaining outside the target state's airspace.

The missile follows a suborbital trajectory after release. It accelerates into near space before re-entering the atmosphere at hypersonic speed for a near-vertical descent onto the target. The plasma sheath formed during re-entry complicates radar tracking and interception.

Advanced air defense systems face limited time to detect, track, and intercept the missile. The engagement window is measured in seconds due to the missile's speed and trajectory.

The F-15I was modified to carry and launch the missile. The system integrates command, control, intelligence, and cyber elements to support the strike sequence. Al Jazeera reported that the United States, Russia, China, France, and Pakistan possess the industrial base to develop similar systems. The article stated that once demonstrated, the capability becomes replicable by other states.