Iran has 2,000 ballistic missiles, is working to rebuild terror proxies in Syria – report

Israel estimates that Iran has some 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel, and that Tehran is working to reestablish its foothold in Syria.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli intelligence officials estimate that Iran has retained as many as 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel and is rapidly rebuilding its weapons production capabilities, Channel 12 reported on Sunday, raising concerns that Tehran could soon restore much of the military threat it posed before the war.

The assessment, disclosed Sunday, comes amid mounting evidence that Iran is also attempting to reestablish its network of terrorist proxies along Israel’s borders, particularly in southern Syria, where Iranian-backed operatives have reportedly received substantial funding, weapons and other assistance.

Israeli defense officials estimate that Iran currently possesses between 1,800 and 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of striking Israel, compared with approximately 2,500 before the war began in February.

The Iranian military has also restored a significant portion of its missile launchers, although intelligence officials remain uncertain how many missiles and launch systems could be deployed immediately in the event of renewed fighting.

The estimates suggest that the joint US-Israeli military campaign, despite inflicting extensive damage on Iranian military installations and weapons factories, failed to permanently eliminate Tehran’s ability to threaten Israel with large-scale missile barrages.

“We never said that 100% of Iranian production capability had been destroyed,” an Israeli intelligence official said.

The official explained that Iran immediately began repairing damaged installations and resuming weapons manufacturing after the conclusion of major military operations, with production expected to increase as more time passes.

Western intelligence officials have similarly concluded that Iran preserved important missile and drone manufacturing facilities despite months of American and Israeli bombardment.

The surviving infrastructure has enabled Tehran to replenish its depleted arsenal, while intelligence assessments indicate that Russia has also supplied missiles to Iran.

Nevertheless, Israeli officials believe Iran’s military-industrial capabilities remain significantly below their prewar levels, and questions persist over how quickly the country could convert its surviving weapons stockpiles into operational firepower.

Beyond Iran itself, Israeli security officials are increasingly concerned about Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its regional network of armed proxies, particularly following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024.

Unlike Assad, whose government facilitated extensive Iranian military activity in Syria, President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought to prevent Tehran and Hezbollah from reestablishing a significant presence in the country.

As a result, Iranian operatives have reportedly shifted toward establishing smaller, decentralized terrorist networks that are harder to identify and disrupt.

These networks rely on local recruits, concealed weapons caches, explosive drones and rockets rather than the large, openly deployed military formations Iran previously maintained in Syria.

Israeli intelligence officials believe Iran has already transferred substantial amounts of money and weapons to local groups, allowing them to establish clandestine infrastructure near Israel’s borders.

The threat was highlighted late last month when Syrian security forces announced the arrest of three suspected Hezbollah operatives in the Yarmouk Basin area of Daraa province, near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

Syrian authorities said the suspects were preparing rocket launchers for attacks intended to undermine security in the region.

Hezbollah denied involvement, insisting that it “has no presence whatsoever on Syrian territory.”

On Friday, the Israeli Air Force struck another suspected Iranian-backed operative, Yusuf Ali al-Hassoun, near the Syrian-Lebanese border.

According to the IDF, al-Hassoun had spent the previous year organizing attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers stationed in southern Syria under Iranian direction.

The military said several plots attributed to him had been thwarted, including plans to launch explosive drones and rockets at Israeli forces.

“The IDF will continue to act to eliminate immediate threats on all fronts,” the military said.

The renewed activity has prompted Israeli security officials to consider whether another military operation against Iran may be necessary before Tehran can fully restore its capabilities.

A senior security official acknowledged that further military action remains possible even before the upcoming elections in Israel and the United States.

“Action cannot be ruled out,” the official said.

However, Israeli assessments differ over whether another operation will take place before the elections, and officials acknowledge that the ultimate decision would be made in Washington rather than Jerusalem.

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the United States would not launch additional attacks against Iran before the November 3 congressional elections, citing continuing diplomatic negotiations.

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added that the United States would not attack Iran before the elections, even as American military planners continued examining potential options for renewed strikes.

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