The Pentagon believes that Tehran launched a medium-range ballistic missile that flew 1,000 km late Wednesday, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reported, citing an unnamed US official.

The CNN reporter said the Islamic Republic test-fired a Shabaab-3 ballistic missile.

Although the launch that “did not pose a threat to shipping or US bases” in the region, it was part of the Islamic Republic’s efforts “to improve the range and accuracy”, as the intelligence assessment suggests, Starr said.

Fox News also reported the missile test, citing an unnamed US official and noting that the shell travelled from the southern parts of the country to an area outside the Iranian capital.

However, a senior us administration official has declined to give the US broadcaster any comment but said that they are “aware of reports of a projectile launched from Iran”. Tehran has not commented on the reports yet.

The reports about the test launch come amid an escalation of tensions between Iran on one side and the US and its allies on the other side after an Iranian vessel was seized by Gibraltar at the request of the US over allegations of being involved in oil shipments to Syria in violation of EU sanctions. Two weeks later, Iranian forces seized a UK tanker with 23 crew members onboard in the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Republic said the UK tanker had violated international navigation norms.

Source: US Media Outlets