BEHIND THE LINES: Despite setbacks, Iraq’s Iranian-backed militias continue to thrive politically, posing a lasting threat to Israel’s security.
While Iraq’s militias stayed out of the previous round, following a brief intervention in late 2023, there is no reason to assume that this will be repeated. With the loss of Syria, Iraq has taken on added importance to Tehran.
December 12, 2025 3:05 pm
by Ailin Vilches Arguello
An Iranian missile is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran, Aug. 20, 2025. Photo: Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran is rapidly rebuilding its missile arsenal following the 12-day war with Israel in June, raising alarm bells among Israeli officials as Tehran aims to restore its weakened military capabilities and extend its influence across the Middle East.
During a closed meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this week, a senior Israeli military official told lawmakers that Iran has resumed large-scale production of ballistic missiles, roughly six months after the June conflict, Israeli media reported.
Israeli intelligence assessments have confirmed that Tehran resumed massive production of long-range missiles, with factories operating “around the clock” to rebuild capabilities destroyed in Israeli and US strikes.
With Israel having destroyed key missile-production equipment, including planetary mixers, the Iranian regime is relying on older manufacturing methods to restart its missile program, according to the Israeli news outlet Ynet.
Israeli officials now reportedly fear that the damage inflicted on Iran’s ballistic missile program during the June war was less extensive than initially thought.
Earlier this year, Israel, with support from the United States, carried out large-scale military strikes against the Islamist regime in Iran, targeting critical nuclear enrichment sites — including the heavily fortified Fordow facility — after multiple rounds of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program failed to yield results.
In the aftermath of the strikes, intelligence and media assessments of the damage to Iran’s nuclear and defense capabilities have been inconsistent and often contradictory, with some reports indicating only a short-term setback and others pointing to potentially years of disruption. Many experts believe the nuclear program has been set back by multiple years. However, Iran’s missile arsenal may have suffered less damage.
Earlier this week, Israel Defense Forces military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder told US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz that Iran still possesses roughly 2,000 heavy ballistic missiles — about the same number it had before the war, the Al-Monitor news outlet reported.
Since the end of the war, Iran has repeatedly threatened to respond to any future Israeli attack, as the regime has attempted to rebuild its decimated air defenses and expand its military capabilities.
Last week, Tehran conducted a major naval exercise in the Persian Gulf, carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and featuring ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, as part of an effort to deter foreign threats.
Iranian state media reported that missiles struck mock targets in the Gulf of Oman with “high accuracy” and drones hit simulated enemy bases, while three air defense systems were deployed during the exercise under electronic warfare conditions.
“Utilizing artificial intelligence, these systems were able to identify flight and maritime targets in a fraction of the time and hit them with high accuracy,” according to Iranian media reports.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, also said that a new missile was tested during the drills, reportedly capable of reaching beyond the length of the Persian Gulf, though he did not provide specific details.
“The Persian Gulf is 1,375 kilometers long – this missile’s range is beyond that,” he told Press TV.
Built domestically, the missile can be “guided after launch” and has demonstrated “very high precision,” Tangsiri said.
Iran’s FM Araghchi accepts Beirut’s invitation after his Lebanese counterpart rejected a visit to Tehran.
Abbas AraghchiREUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Thursday he accepted an invitation from his Lebanese counterpart, Youssef Raggi, to visit Beirut in order to open “a new chapter” in bilateral relations, reported the Anadolu news agency.
The announcement followed Raggi’s rejection of Araghchi’s earlier invitation to visit Tehran, instead suggesting that talks be held in a third neutral country.
In a statement on social media, Araghchi described Raggi’s refusal as “bemusing.” He added, “Foreign ministers of nations with brotherly and full diplomatic relations need no ‘neutral’ venue to meet. Subjected to Israeli occupation and blatant ‘ceasefire’ violations, I fully understand why my esteemed Lebanese counterpart is not prepared to visit Tehran.”
The exchange comes amid sharp disagreements over Hezbollah’s future. Iran is a major sponsor of the Hezbollah terrorist organization and in the past has vowed to always support the group.
A report in March of last year revealed that Iran is using European ports to provide cover for shipments of weapons to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon.
Iranian officials, including Araghchi himself, have criticized Lebanon’s recent decision to disarm the terror group, in line with a ceasefire agreement reached with Israel last year.
On Wednesday, Raggi emphasized that relations between Lebanon and Iran must be built on “mutual respect for the sovereignty of both countries and non-interference in internal affairs.”
Hezbollah has rejected the initiative, insisting that Israeli forces must fully withdraw from Lebanese territory before it considers laying down arms.
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