TEHRAN, Sept 5: Iran said on Tuesday that it successfully tested laser-guided bombs during recent large-scale military exercises throughout the country, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

“New laser bombs have been tested during the ... manoeuvres,” the agency quoted Gen Ghader Rahimzadeh, an air force commander, as saying. The report did not elaborate on the bomb’s specifications.

A laser-guided bomb is a precision-guided weapon that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall bomb. It is one of the most common and widespread weapons used by a large number of the world’s air forces.

During the manoeuvres that began Aug 19, Iran also has tested a new air defence system and fired short range surface-to-surface and submarine-to-surface missiles.—AP