Israel has developed Jericho-3 missile system, an intermediate-range system that was reportedly tested in 2008. The latest weapon featured improvements over the previous models, with a longer length than Jericho-2 and a larger diameter of 1.56 meters.

Tel Aviv: A recent call by one Israeli lawmaker to deploy a ‘doomsday’ weapon against Hamas and Palestine in the ongoing war has put the limelight on nuclear weapons in the region, namely the Jericho missile system. This week, an Israeli lawmaker called for her nation’s military to use nuclear warfare in response to attacks by the Hamas. Revital “Tally” Gotliv, a member of the Knesset for Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, posted multiple posts on X, advocating for a forceful retaliation following a surprise attack by Hamas. The call for the use of Jericho Missile system comes as more than 2,200 combined Israelis and Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing war against the Hamas.

Why Israeli Lawmaker Calls For Use of Nuclear Weapon

“Jericho Missile! Jericho Missile! Strategic alert. before considering the introduction of forces. Doomsday weapon! This is my opinion. May God preserve all our strength,” Gotliv wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“I urge you to do everything and use Doomsday weapons fearlessly against our enemies,” she wrote, adding that Israel “must use everything in its arsenal.”

“Only an explosion that shakes the Middle East will restore this country’s dignity, strength and security! It’s time to kiss doomsday. Shooting powerful missiles without limit. Not flattening a neighbourhood. Crushing and flattening Gaza. … without mercy! without mercy,” she wrote.

What is Jericho Ballistic Missile?

Gotliv in her post mentioned ‘Jericho,’ referring to Israel’s original ballistic missile program, that was initiated in the 1960s and named after the biblical city located in West Bank.

The Jericho ballistic missile system was initially a collaboration with the French aerospace company Dassault, but when France withdrew in 1969, Israel continued its development. Initially, Jericho-1 model, which was operational during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, came out as an accomplishment of the said program.

Jericho-1 Missile System

The Jericho-1 missile system, which was retired in the 1990s, had a weight of 6.5 tons, a length of 13.4 meters, and a diameter of 0.8 meters, as per data from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Newsweek reported.

Jericho-1 missile system had a range of 500 kilometers (approximately 310.6 miles) and could carry a 1,000-kilogram (about 2,205-pound) payload, though it had a 50 percent chance of hitting within a 1,000-meter radius of its target.

Jericho-2 Missile System

After Jericho-1 missile system, later, Israel developed the Jericho-2, a longer-range missile in the late 1980s, with a length of 15 meters and a diameter of 1.35 meters, while maintaining the same payload capacity. Jericho-2 missile system had a range between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers (about 932 to 2,175 miles).

Jericho-3 Missile System

Then, Israel developed Jericho-3 missile system, an intermediate-range system that was reportedly tested in 2008, entering service in 2011. The latest weapon featured improvements over the previous models, with a longer length than Jericho-2 and a larger diameter of 1.56 meters.

The single warhead of Jericho-3 missile system weighed approximately 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) and had a range of 4,800 to 6,500 kilometers (about 2,983 to 4,039 miles). Moreover, the payload capacity extended to about 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds).

However, it is not yet clear whether Jericho-3 has been deployed by Israel during ongoing retaliatory offensive against Hamas in Gaza Strip.