The U.S. military is considering deploying its long-range hypersonic missile to the Middle East for the first time, potentially targeting ballistic missile launchers deep inside Iran, according to a person with direct knowledge of the request.
U.S. Central Command has requested authorization to send the Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon to strike Iranian missile sites that have moved beyond the range of conventional precision missiles, Bloomberg reported. If approved, it would mark the first operational deployment of the hypersonic weapon system.
The Dark Eagle has a reported range of 1,725 miles and is designed to strike “time-sensitive and heavily defended targets,” making it capable of reaching Iranian launchers that have relocated to evade existing American firepower. Each missile costs approximately $15 million, with fewer than eight available, and each battery costs roughly $2.7 billion.
The request comes as the U.S. and Iran maintain a tenuous ceasefire that began April 8, though President Trump has repeatedly threatened to reignite military operations if negotiations stall. Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his blockade of Iranian oil exports, calling it “100% foolproof” and rejecting Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while deferring nuclear negotiations to a later date.
“Now, they have to cry uncle, that’s all they have to do. Just say, ‘We give up,’” Trump told reporters.
The deployment request has not been made public. Russia and China have already deployed hypersonic weapons, putting pressure on the U.S. to demonstrate its own capabilities in the region.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
