Iran has restarted assembling ballistic missiles at underground facilities using components stored before the war, according to US and Middle East intelligence officials. The reported activity suggests that damage to launch sites and industrial units did not completely halt the country’s missile production capability.
The development challenges claims by the United States and Israel that their military campaign had destroyed several production locations and substantially reduced Iran’s missile stockpile. Intelligence assessments now indicate that Iran is using previously accumulated parts to resume assembly below ground.
How the production is continuing
The missile work is reportedly taking place in underground facilities designed to reduce exposure to airstrikes. Moving stored components into these locations allows Iran to rely less on newly operating plants while continuing assembly after attacks on its military infrastructure.
The reported production involves 2 categories of ballistic missiles:
- Liquid-propellant missiles, which require fuel to be loaded shortly before launch.
- Solid-propellant missiles, which can be prepared and stored for use when needed.
Solid-propellant missiles are considered a particular concern because they can remain concealed for extended periods and require less preparation before launch. Liquid-propellant systems need fuelling, which can make preparations easier to detect and disrupt.
Why the intelligence matters
The reported restart raises questions about the scale of the damage caused by the US-Israeli military campaign. While attacks targeted Iran’s missile launchpads and industrial facilities, the continued use of stockpiled parts and underground sites suggests that production can recover even after major strikes.
The activity also presents a challenge for efforts to identify and target underground facilities. Iran has long used mountain areas and deep tunnels to protect sensitive military installations from air attacks. That approach may slow production, but it has not necessarily stopped the reported assembly work.
Regional security is another concern. Iran’s neighbours, Israel and the United States are monitoring the development as tensions in the Middle East remain high. A continuing or expanding missile programme could increase concern among countries in the region and place additional pressure on existing defence systems.
Questions for the United States and Israel
The reported production restart creates a new problem for the United States and Israel: locating underground sites and assessing how much missile-making capacity remains operational. Military action may be accompanied by diplomatic pressure and sanctions aimed at restricting Iran’s missile activity.
The development also illustrates the difficulty of eliminating a country’s military capability through airstrikes alone when components have been stored in advance and production networks are protected underground. The pace of assembly may be slower than before the attacks, but intelligence officials reportedly believe it has resumed.
Further intelligence is expected to clarify the scale of the activity. For now, the reported underground production represents a continuing challenge to US and Israeli assessments of the campaign’s impact and adds another issue to the wider regional security debate.
Conclusion
Iran’s reported return to ballistic missile assembly, supported by stored components and underground facilities, indicates that military strikes did not fully eliminate its production capability. The development is likely to remain a security and diplomatic concern for the United States, Israel and countries across the Middle East.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Has Iran resumed ballistic missile production?
According to US and Middle East intelligence officials, Iran has resumed assembling ballistic missiles at underground facilities.
Q. Where is Iran carrying out the reported assembly work?
The reported assembly is taking place in underground facilities intended to reduce vulnerability to airstrikes.
Q. What components are being used?
The missiles are reportedly being assembled from parts that Iran had stored before the war.
Q. Which types of missiles are involved?
The reported activity includes liquid-propellant and solid-propellant ballistic missiles.
Q. Why are solid-propellant missiles a concern?
They can be stored in a ready-to-use form and require less preparation before launch than liquid-propellant missiles.
Q. What did the United States and Israel previously claim?
They claimed that military operations had destroyed production sites and significantly reduced Iran’s missile stockpile.
Q. Why are underground facilities important?
They can help protect production from airstrikes and allow assembly to continue after attacks on surface facilities.
Q. What could happen next?
The United States and Israel may continue efforts to identify underground sites while using diplomatic pressure and sanctions to constrain Iran’s missile activity.
