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Last Updated:March 01, 2026, 16:16 IST
The HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, designed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles, appeared to fail to defend Iran against US-Israeli strikes.
China's HQ-9B surface-to-air missile weapon system failed in Iran and Pakistan. (Reuters/File)
As coordinated US-Israeli strikes ripped through Iranian cities, causing widespread destruction and killing more than 200 people, the focus has shifted to the failure of China’s HQ-9B air defence system, which Tehran recently procured from Beijing.
The HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, designed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles, appears to have fallen short of its task, NDTV reported. This came several months after the air defence system failed to adequately protect targets in Pakistan when India launched Operation Sindoor.
Combat analysts have now raised questions on the HQ-9B’s capabilities after the sub-par show in Iran. It is possible that the combined airpower of the US and Israel overwhelmed the HQ-9B system, which was put together hurriedly amid mounting tensions in the Gulf.
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First Published:
March 01, 2026, 16:16 IST
News world China’s HQ-9B Under Scrutiny? Questions Mount As US-Israeli Airstrikes Tear Through Iran
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