Alarming Satellite Images Show Construction Near Iran Missile Bases: Report
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Troubling new satellite images suggest that Iran has been rapidly rebuilding its missile bases that were decimated by months of airstrikes by the US and Israeli military, according to a new report.
Photos from November reveal evidence of construction and digging at two of Iran’s biggest military bases: Garmdareh base in Karaj, near Tehran, and the Shahroud base in the north, according to analysts with British intelligence company MAIAR, who reviewed the photos. At least 12 other military sites, including missile complexes and airbases, show signs of repairs and construction, per the images.
The Islamic Republic, which has faced relentless US and Israeli attacks since February, has adopted a pattern of moving infrastructure underground to safeguard them from further strikes, an MAIAR analyst explained to the outlet.
Mark Mellett, a defense analyst and former head of the Irish military, notes that relocating facilities underground makes it harder for Iran’s adversaries to assess their full operational capabilities.
Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst and Iran expert, suggests that the apparent excavations near Shahroud could be linked to missile production. He posits that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps are attempting to move their production facilities underground following repeated airstrikes on nearby airbases.
Both Karaj and Shahroud bases exhibit significant excavations, and satellite images also show multiple vehicles and improvements in Karaj, according to the BBC. The images near Karaj seem to indicate the construction of "a new portal for an underground facility", according to Sam Lair, a research analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). Janes Defense Intelligence analysts also identified tunnel entrances at Karaj and structures suggesting a possible expansion of damaged or destroyed missile bases.
This rapid construction is likely a response to anticipated further attacks from the US and Israel, which have slowed in recent weeks following President Trump’s announcement of a strike pause before the midterm elections, as per Mark Cancian, a military analyst with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The alarming report follows Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, who claimed in the Wall Street Journal that the US had "destroyed up to 90% of Iran’s drone, ballistic missile, and naval industrial base" and "significantly degraded Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones."
Despite these setbacks, Iran maintains it possesses substantial missile stockpiles, according to state media. The WSJ reported in September that, despite these claims, Iran is back to producing liquid-propellant ballistic missiles, contradicting what the Trump administration had hailed as a major achievement of Operation Epic Fury.
Experts suggest that President Trump has a limited window after the midterm elections to renew his Iran campaign before a Democrat-led Congress potentially restricts his war powers. While Trump pushes for renewed negotiations with Iran, he has also threatened to "finish the job" if Iran does not comply with his demands.
Iran appears to be aware of this dynamic and is simultaneously pursuing diplomatic efforts while escalating threats across the region in an attempt to buy time.