Iranian Guards navy has new highly explosive missiles, state media say

(Reuters) - The Iranian Revolutionary Guards said on Friday that its navy has new cruise missiles equipped with highly explosive warheads that are undetectable, state media reported.

The announcement by the country's most powerful security organisation coincides with fears of a full-blown Middle East war after Iran vowed to avenge the assassination in Tehran on July 31 of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas.

Iran has blamed Israel, while Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

"In today's world you either have to be powerful to survive, or surrender. There's no middle ground," said the Guards' top commander, Major-General Hossein Salami.

"A large number of cruise missiles have been added to the Guards' navy fleet. These new missiles have capabilities of highly explosive warheads that are undetectable and can cause extensive damage and sink their targets," a Guards statement said.

The Guards' navy also said in a statement that various types of long and medium range missile systems, as well as reconnaissance drones and naval radars, have been added to its fleet.

"These systems are among the most up-to-date anti-surface and sub-surface weapons in the Guards' navy," it said.

State television displayed several of the weapons on Friday. The navy added that only 210 of the 2,654 systems were shown as it was not possible to unveil other strategic ones for security reasons.

Iran has one of the biggest missile programs in the Middle East, regarding such weapons as an important deterrent and retaliatory force against U.S. and Israel in the event of war.

According to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the region.

(Editing by Mark Heinrich, William Maclean)