AFP, 09 July 2008 (excerpts) – Iran on Wednesday test-fired a missile whose range puts Israel within reach, angering the United States amid growing fears that the standoff over the contested Iranian nuclear drive could lead to war.

The Shahab-3 was among a broadside of nine missiles fired off in the early morning from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert, state-run Arabic channel Al-Alam and its English counterpart Press-TV reported.

The United States, which has never ruled out military action against Iranian atomic facilities, immediately condemned the missile tests.

“Iran’s development of ballistic missiles is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and completely inconsistent with Iran’s obligations to the world,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

The missile launch comes a day after an aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would “set fire” to Israel and the US navy in the Gulf as its first response to any American attack over its nuclear programme.