No-one appears to have noted that the test launch of Iran’s long-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil missiles, whose range would enable then to reach Israel, were launched on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.

In 1973 Israel’s neighbours planned to launch a killer blow to Israel as they massed weapons and troops along its borders. They chose to attack on Yom Kippur in the belief that Israel would be sleeping that day. They almost succeeded.

By launching missiles which threaten Israel, on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Iran is sending a clear message. But no-one outside Israel seems to have mentioned this. In fact, the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur pass Europeans by, but the newspapers always seem to mark Ramadan and Eid. So it’s not surprising that the launch date’s significance has been overlooked or considered to be ‘coincidence’ perhaps.