Crux of Iran's Ballistic Missile Arsenal: An Unyielding Threat to Israel
Israel launched attacks on Iran's potentially harmful ballistic missile facilities.
Iran's stockpile of ballistic missiles, encompassing both Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs) and Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBMs), poses a significant threat to Israel. Notably, the MRBMs, such as the Kheibar Shekan, extend their reach beyond 1,000 km, causing grave concerns for Israel's security[1]. With a stash of SRBMs, mainly based on Soviet Scud designs but improved with solid propellants and updated guidance systems[1], Iran raises eyebrows further.
The Iranian arsenal currently stands at roughly 2,000 ballistic missiles, with the ambition to grow this number to a staggering 8,000 missiles in the future[2]. Nonetheless, Iran has shown remarkable resilience in maintaining its missile capabilities despite intensified hostilities.
Recent Escalation: Iran-Israel Conflict in a Nutshell
Recent years have witnessed a sharp rise in tensions between Iran and Israel, with both nations engaging in escalating military actions. Iran executed significant missile attacks against Israel in 2024, labeled "True Promise" and "True Promise II," unleashing hundreds of missiles. Despite these attacks, Israel's defense systems, like the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors, managed to neutralize most of the incoming projectiles[1].
Current confrontations continue as Iran persists in firing missiles in defiance of Israeli airstrikes aimed at cripping its launch capabilities. Iran's endurance stems from its strategic objective to ensure survivability and adopt a decentralized infrastructure, facilitating mobile and underground launchers to keep operational capabilities intact[4]. Nevertheless, projections predict that Israel's strikes could whittle down Iran's ballistic missile stockpile, potentially to less than 500 missiles by mid-2025[3].
Key Milestones
- Iranian Missile Launches: Iran's capacity to fire salvos of missiles is rooted in its focus on survivability and decentralized operations[4].
- Israeli Countermeasures: Israel's missile defense systems have demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating Iranian missile attacks, yet some projectiles have succeeded in penetrating [1][4].
- Escalation Dynamics: Ongoing conflict is accompanied by substantial military pressures for both sides, but Iran's capacity to launch large-scale attacks is dwindling[3][4].
- The escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, highlighted by events such as the "True Promise" and "True Promise II" missile attacks, has raised concerns about the political instability in Europe and the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Middle East.
- As the Iran-Israel conflict intensifies, the general news focuses on the environment, not just in terms of the physical damage caused by missile strikes, but also the potential long-term impact on diplomatic relations and regional security in Europe.
