Iran Resumes Underground Ballistic Missile Production Despite Strikes

Iran has resumed underground production of ballistic missiles, utilizing previously stockpiled components, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. U.S. and Middle Eastern officials familiar with the matter indicated that the Islamic Republic restarted manufacturing despite significant damage to its missile industry from American and Israeli strikes.

Intelligence agencies have detected activity at several facilities, including the Khojir military complex southeast of Iran, where liquid and solid-fuel missiles are being assembled. Tehran is also developing new underground assembly sites to reduce future targeting risks. Production levels remain considerably lower than pre-war figures due to damage to key factories and industrial facilities, compounded by a U.S. naval blockade hindering the import of necessary components.

A U.S. official suggested that Iran may have begun low-rate production following a preliminary agreement with then-President Donald Trump in mid-June concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the initiation of peace talks. Iran's existing stockpiles of warheads, missile airframes, guidance systems, and other components have facilitated this assembly process without a full restart of the manufacturing network.

Former CIA analyst Jim Lawsson noted that production volume depends on the quantity of stored components and the operational status of underground facilities, estimating Iran could assemble hundreds, possibly thousands, of missiles. Despite significant depletion of its completed missile inventory during the war, analysts believe Iran still possesses thousands of ballistic missiles and has continued to use them against U.S. military targets in the Middle East.

Satellite imagery reviewed by the Journal shows Iran accelerating repairs to roads, production sites, and entrances of underground missile bases damaged in previous strikes. Israeli military assessments suggest that weapons stored deep within tunnels likely survived the attacks largely intact. However, Iran faces challenges in returning to previous production levels due to damage to liquid-fuel production facilities and industrial mixers needed for solid-fuel production.

The resumption of production highlights the difficulty in completely dismantling Iran's missile program, which Washington and Tel Aviv had considered significantly weakened as a major war achievement. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated in April that the program was "effectively destroyed" and Iran could no longer replace its launched missiles. This renewed production could enable Iran to sustain a prolonged war of attrition, while both Iranian missile stockpiles and U.S. and Gulf interceptor missiles face continuous depletion.