Abu Mahdi (missile)

The Abu Mahdi is an Iranian anti-ship cruise missile. It is named after Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi-Iranian commander who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020 along with Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

The missile is claimed to have a range of over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and is designed to evade enemy air defenses using low-altitude flight and advanced electronic warfare capabilities. Its guidance system is believed to use a combination of inertial navigation and radar for terminal homing. It is reportedly capable of being launched from land-based platforms as well as naval vessels. The warhead size and specific operational details are not publicly known with certainty.

Its development and deployment are seen as part of Iran's strategy to bolster its maritime defense capabilities and project power in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. The missile is considered a threat to maritime traffic and naval assets in the region.