The White House is aware of Iranian officials’ conflicting reports that their country recently carried out a ballistic missile launch, spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday. Questions of whether a test occurred arose after Iranian news agencies provided conflicting reports. One Iranian news agency reported a precision-guided missile with a range of 1,240 miles was successfully tested two weeks ago, but on Monday the country’s defense minister denied a test of a missile with that range took place, Reuters reported. “So we’re still trying to get to the bottom of what exactly transpired,” Earnest told reporters. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also said the Defense Department was aware of the reported tests, but could not confirm whether they actually occurred.
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.