The United States has successfully tested the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, a nuclear-capable weapon often referred to as a “doomsday missile,” amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran and Israel.
The test has drawn global attention because it took place during heightened tensions in the Middle East.
The missile was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and travelled thousands of kilometres across the Pacific Ocean before hitting its designated target area near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, according to the US Air Force Global Strike Command.
US officials said the missile used in the test was unarmed and the launch was part of a routine programme designed to verify the accuracy, reliability and readiness of the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile system. The Pentagon emphasised that the test had been scheduled years in advance and was not a direct response to current world events, including the war involving Iran.
The Minuteman III is a key component of the United States’ nuclear deterrence system and represents the land-based leg of the country’s nuclear triad, alongside submarine-launched ballistic missiles and strategic bombers.
Capable of travelling at extremely high speeds, the missile has a range of about 13,000 kilometres, enabling it to strike targets almost anywhere on Earth. It can carry nuclear warheads and is designed to deliver them with high accuracy over long distances.