Missile Paveh

The Paveh is an Iranian surface-to-surface cruise missile belonging to the Soumar cruise missile family. The family was unveiled in 2015 with the Soumar and expanded on 2 February 2019 with the Hoveyzah. The Paveh was publicly unveiled on 2 February 2023.

The Paveh is a long-range, turbojet-powered cruise missile. It has retractable wings, and its engine is mounted externally on the upper part of the fuselage rather than inside the body. Iranian state media stated that the missile's range is sufficient to reach Israel.

The guidance system allows the missile to change targets during flight. The missile can follow different flight paths to a target. Before the terminal phase it can maneuver and loiter as required, then attack from a direction other than its approach axis.

The Paveh is also described as capable of coordinated salvo attacks in which missiles communicate with one another in flight. One missile acts as the group leader and directs the others. The leader can send one or more missiles ahead as decoys to draw defensive fire and clear a path for the remaining missiles to strike the target.

Iran operates the Paveh. Variants are also attributed to several allied non-state groups:

• Houthi movement: designates the missile Quds, or Quds-1.
• Islamic Resistance in Iraq: uses the name al-Arqab.
• Hezbollah: has fired the missile at northern Israel.

The US Defense Intelligence Agency identified the al-Arqab as a Paveh-type cruise missile, the same weapon the Houthis call the Quds. Iran Watch likewise stated that the Quds-1 is the Houthi designation for the Paveh and that the two missiles are visually identical.

The missile has been used in the context of the Gaza war. Known uses include:

• 9 April 2024: The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed a cruise missile attack on the Ashkelon oil terminal and Hatzerim Air Base in Israel. The launch footage it released showed missiles the DIA identified as Paveh-type.
• 13 April 2024: Iran launched Paveh cruise missiles against Israel as part of a direct strike. Iran Watch estimated that about 36 were used.
• 24 March 2026: Hezbollah fired a Paveh at the town of Misgav Am in northern Israel.
• 14 April 2026: Hezbollah launched a second Paveh at northern Israel.