The Jericho 3 is the most advanced ballistic missile of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). It entered service in 2011 and was used to replace the short-range ballistic missile known as Jericho I (SRBM) and the long-range ballistic missile, Jericho II (LRBM). Its codename 'Jericho' is a reference to the Biblical city of Jericho which fell during the war with Israel.
It's an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) whose range covers the entire Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia and most parts of North and South America. This ICBM is capable of carrying nuclear, conventional and unconventional warhead of over 1000kg in weight, and its speed makes it to be immuned to any operational missile defense systems when fired at close-range targets. It is silo-based, with its launching sites buried underground making it virtually invulnerable to any nuclear attack.
However, the exact systems, numbers, full range of warhead options and operational data of Jericho 3 are impossible to confirm because they are highly classified by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Most of these weapons are kept as the "Sampson Option" against such invading country. In 2016, a UK based newspaper, TheNewArab, described the secrecy as "the second-worst-kept secret in the Israeli military arsenal."
Despite all, military analysts have described Israel as a "mini" military super power and not in the same category with major super powers such as Russia and the US.
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