The United States is reportedly considering a plan to deploy the hypersonic missile system “Earl Eagle” in the Middle East, as part of preparations for potential strikes on Iran’s military infrastructure, amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire.
According to Bloomberg, the request for the system’s deployment came from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which argues that Tehran has relocated its ballistic missile launchers beyond the range of current American weapons, such as the Precision Strike Missile, which can hit targets at distances of over 482 kilometers.
If approved, this would mark the first operational deployment of a hypersonic weapons system. The weapon, known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) or “Earl Eagle,” has an estimated range of around 2,776 kilometers and is designed to strike high-value, heavily fortified targets. The cost of a single missile is estimated at around $15 million, while the total number of available units remains limited, with reports suggesting fewer than eight exist. Meanwhile, each launch battery is estimated to cost approximately $2.7 billion.
This development comes amid a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has been in effect since early April. U.S. President Donald Trump has left open the possibility of resuming military operations, while negotiations for a peace agreement continue without concrete results.
A day earlier, Trump defended the blockade on Iranian oil exports, rejecting Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping and further delaying talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
“The blockade is brilliant. It is absolutely effective,” he said, adding: “All they have to do is accept defeat.”
So far, there has been no official confirmation regarding the deployment of the system. Experts note that countries such as Russia and China have already developed similar hypersonic weapons, intensifying the global strategic arms race.
