The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely damaged, reporting that dozens of ballistic missile production and launch sites had been damaged as a result of a US-Israeli attack.
A review conducted by the newspaper, based on expert analysis, revealed that four of Iran’s main ballistic missile manufacturing sites, in addition to at least 29 launch sites for these missiles, were damaged during the first four weeks of the attack, weakening Tehran’s basic military strategy.
Satellite images, along with assessments by Iranian military and defense experts, showed that the strikes had destroyed above-ground launch facilities, temporarily blocked access to missiles stored underground, and halted Iran’s ability to immediately produce new missiles. However, experts have warned that Iran’s ballistic missile program has not been completely destroyed.
“Continued missile launches are an indication of Iran’s remaining operational capabilities,” said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Some experts say complete elimination of the program is unlikely, given Tehran’s record of rebuilding after previous attacks, and its potential access to external supply chains to replace destroyed equipment. Mobile missile launchers are still in use, but their number is unknown.
According to the newspaper, ballistic missiles are manufactured, developed and tested through a network of complexes supervised by the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian Ministry of Defense. Experts pointed out that the Khojir, Parchin, Hakimiya and Shahrud sites had suffered severe damage beyond what was sustained in the Twelve Day War in June and the attacks in October 2024, and these sites include rocket fuel production and missile assembly.
Experts confirmed, based on satellite images, that the damage likely halted Iran’s ability to produce short- and medium-range missiles until the facilities were rebuilt.
The images showed the destruction of at least 88 facilities in the Khojir complex east of Tehran, and the targeting of solid and liquid fuel production systems. The Shahroud complex was also subjected to intense attacks, which resulted in at least 28 facilities being destroyed or damaged.
In the Parchin complex, 12 facilities were targeted, while 19 facilities in the Hakimiya complex were hit, including liquid fuel production facilities and launch pads.
Satellite images also revealed that at least 29 missile launch bases were targeted, while experts suggested that the total number of these bases was about 30, most of which contained underground warehouses accessed through tunnels inside the mountains. The strikes targeted the entrances to these tunnels, which hindered access to the missiles.
The Khorgo base on the Arabian Gulf was subjected to at least two strikes, which resulted in the destruction of 15 facilities and the injury of two tunnel entrances. Images of the Imam Ali base in western Iran also showed the destruction of 9 above-ground facilities and the targeting of tunnel entrances, which impeded access to stored weapons.
