directly to Saudi Arabia or directly the United States, but the messaging goes out to U.S. or Gulf opponents". Ali Fathollah-Nejad, visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center and an associate with the Iran Project at Harvard University, commented that Iran has used the opportunity to test its missiles. Farzin Nadimi of The Washington Institute wrote that "reports suggest the Qiam missiles used in the latest attack were an improved version, as first shown on Iranian TV days ago, with “maneuverable separating reentry vehicle and warhead”". See also 2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike 2018 Iraqi Kurdistan missile strike Operation Martyr Soleimani References Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2018 Military operations involving Iran Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Deir ez-Zor Governorate in the Syrian civil war Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Quds Force Drone strikes in Syria