Iran missile tests seen more as theater

Instead, many officials and experts Thursday downplayed the Iranian war games near the Persian Gulf as more propaganda than peril. News reports emerged indicating that Tehran doctored a photo of the launches, and analysts questioned whether the tests revealed any new Iranian capability to strike Israel or other U.S. allies and interests in the Middle East.

Iran is at odds with the West over its nuclear program, which it insists is meant for peaceful power generation. The U.S., Israel and most arms control experts suspect that the nuclear capability is meant as a potential cornerstone of an eventual weapons program.

Iran launched missiles near the Persian Gulf on Wednesday after reports that Israel had staged a major dry run of a possible attack on Iranian nuclear sites last month and that U.S. warships this week had begun practicing a scenario to stop Iran's military from closing off the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil supply passes.

State media reported that Iran had set off a second set of missiles Thursday night. State-controlled television showed grainy images of missiles being fired skyward.

Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, said Thursday that the rocket launches "contributed to the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran and at the same time gave an admonishing lesson to our enemies."

The missile tests spooked oil markets and raised fears of further escalation of the confrontation between Iran and the United States. Washington urged Tehran to halt the "provocative" missile tests after Iran claimed to have launched three missiles early Thursday that it said were impervious to sophisticated radar.

A U.S. intelligence official said the missile launches appeared to be in response to recent Israeli military exercises.

"When the Iranians see exercises in the region, this is their way of saying, 'Look, we have capabilities too,' " said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity when discussing intelligence assessments. "There does seem to be at a minimum a great deal of signaling going on here. But in terms of dramatic new capabilities from the Iranians, that hasn't been seen to this point."