In the recent Middle East situation, one name has appeared frequently-"Seltzer."
On the 15th, Iran's Tasnim News Agency, citing a statement from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the IRGC had launched the 54th wave of Operation True Commitment-4, using Seltzer ballistic missiles to strike Israeli targets. The statement claimed that the 54th wave of the offensive struck Israeli air operations command centers, core military and defense facilities, and troop concentrations. The operation used missiles of the Khorramshahr, Castle Destroyer, and Imad types, and marked the first use of the Seltzer ballistic missile in this round of conflict.
Does its appearance signify that the missile war in the Middle East is entering a new phase? [Image of Iran launching a Seltzer-2 missile]
What exactly is the Seltzer weapon?
The Seltzer is one of the important models in Iran's ballistic missile system. It is a two-stage solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile with a range exceeding 2,000 kilometers, capable of covering the entire territory of Israel. Compared to traditional liquid-fueled missiles, solid fuel is pre-packaged at the factory, eliminating the need for refueling and allowing the missile to be ready for launch much faster. According to CCTV military observer Wei Dongxu, the "Mudstone" missile possesses strong mobile launch capabilities, enabling rapid deployment and withdrawal from its launch vehicle, thus enhancing its survivability under air attack pressure. Simultaneously, its warhead design and flight path enhance its penetration capabilities, increasing the difficulty of interception during the terminal phase and allowing for more effective strikes against high-value targets. This results in a relatively balanced overall performance across range, accuracy, and penetration capability. The first use of the "Mudstone" in this round of conflict demonstrates, on the one hand, that Iran still possesses the capability to continuously deploy medium-range missiles, and its missile system has not been significantly weakened as some outside observers have suggested; on the other hand, this type of missile is primarily used to strike command centers, defense systems, and important military facilities, indicating a shift in focus towards high-value targets. According to CCTV military observer Wei Dongxu, the use of more advanced missiles in the counterattack reflects Iran's unwillingness to easily compromise in the game, aiming to increase the opponent's response costs and pressure by escalating the intensity of its strikes. This choice represents both a tactical upgrade and a clear strategic implied.
Why is the missile defense system under pressure?
From a systemic perspective, the US and Israel have constructed a multi-layered missile defense network in the Middle East, including space-based early warning, long-range radar detection, and multiple components such as the THAAD, Patriot, and sea-based interceptor systems. This should have provided a strong defensive capability. However, in actual confrontations, this system faces significant pressure. On the one hand, if key nodes such as long-range early warning radars are damaged, the detection and response capabilities of the entire defense chain will be affected. On the other hand, the attack methods have shifted from single missile strikes to coordinated, multi-directional, and multi-batch saturation attacks using ballistic missiles and drones, making it difficult for interceptor systems to provide comprehensive coverage. Simultaneously, the cost differences between the offensive and defensive sides are gradually becoming apparent-offensive methods are less expensive, while the interceptor missiles required for defense are costly and often require multiple missiles to be used in combination, further amplifying the attrition pressure.
The way of war is changing. Rather than saying that the "mudslide" changed the course of the war, it reflects the evolution of the way of war. Current missile offense and defense are shifting from simply relying on technological advantages to attrition warfare that emphasizes both technology and scale. On the one hand, missile performance continues to improve, emphasizing penetration and survivability; on the other hand, a large number of low-cost drones have entered the battlefield, creating sustained pressure through numerical superiority and giving rise to a new defensive approach of "using drones to counter drones." In this context, attacks are no longer just about achieving a single hit, but about depleting the opponent's defensive resources through continuous, multi-wave strikes, gradually putting the adversary on the defensive. This change has transformed missile offense and defense into a comprehensive contest of resources, cost, and resupply capabilities. Past air defense and anti-missile systems were primarily designed to target threats of limited numbers and predictable paths; now, they face low-cost, large-scale, and continuous composite attacks. The emergence of the "mudslide" is not the end, but rather a point in this process of change. As offensive costs continue to decrease and defensive costs continue to rise, maintaining the effectiveness of the defense system is becoming a new and pressing issue.
