What Weapons Does Iran Have? Inside Tehran's Missile Arsenal, Military Strategy Against US And Israel

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Iran's swift retaliation following joint United States and Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has shifted global attention from the initial attack to a pressing strategic question: how far can Tehran project military power, and what tools does it possess to sustain confrontation against two technologically superior adversaries?

As missiles and drones entered the opening phase of exchanges across the Middle East, regional governments, energy markets and defence planners began assessing whether the crisis would remain a contained cycle of reprisals or develop into a prolonged conflict shaped by Iran's asymmetric capabilities.

A Conflict Framed as Existential

Iranian officials have framed the confrontation not as a limited escalation but as a struggle for state survival. Unlike the brief 12-day war fought in June 2025, the killing of Khamenei appears to have altered Tehran's strategic calculus.

In domestic messaging, restraint risks signalling vulnerability. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that seeking revenge for the deaths of senior leaders is the country's“duty and legitimate right”.

That framing helps explain the scale and speed of Iran's response, which has targeted Israel and US-linked military installations across the Gulf region, including states hosting American forces.

Iran's Missile Arsenal: The Core of Deterrence

At the centre of Iran's military doctrine lies its missile programme - widely regarded by defence analysts as the most extensive and diverse in the Middle East. Built partly to compensate for an ageing air force, the missile force enables Tehran to strike across the region without relying on conventional air superiority.

Iran portrays these systems as defensive deterrence. Western governments argue they contribute to instability and could one day support nuclear delivery capabilities, an accusation Tehran rejects.

The country's longest-range ballistic missiles are assessed to travel between 2,000 and 2,500 kilometres, placing Israel and numerous US-linked installations within reach. However, these systems cannot reach the continental United States despite claims suggesting otherwise.

Short-Range Missiles: Designed for Immediate Retaliation

Short-range ballistic missiles, with ranges of roughly 150 to 800 kilometres, form what analysts often describe as Iran's“first punch” capability.

Systems such as the Fateh family, including Zolfaghar and Qiam-1 missiles alongside older Shahab variants, are engineered for rapid regional strikes against nearby military targets. Their shorter trajectories reduce warning times and complicate interception efforts when launched in coordinated volleys.

Iran demonstrated this approach in January 2020 after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, firing ballistic missiles at Iraq's Ain al-Assad airbase. The strike damaged infrastructure and caused traumatic brain injuries among more than 100 US personnel, illustrating Tehran's ability to impose costs without matching American air power directly.

Medium-Range Missiles: Expanding the Battlefield

If short-range systems deliver immediate retaliation, medium-range ballistic missiles transform conflicts into regional crises.

Missiles such as Shahab-3, Emad, Ghadr-1, Khorramshahr variants and Sejjil extend Iran's reach to distances between approximately 1,500 and 2,000 kilometres. Newer systems, including Kheibar Shekan and Haj Qassem, further enhance strike flexibility.

Sejjil's solid-fuel design offers faster launch readiness compared with liquid-fuel counterparts, allowing rapid deployment even under threat of pre-emptive attacks.

Collectively, these weapons place Israel and US-linked facilities across Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates within striking distance, widening both military exposure and political risk across the Gulf.

Cruise Missiles and Drones: The Saturation Strategy

Beyond ballistic missiles, Iran relies heavily on cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles designed to complicate air defence systems.

Cruise missiles - including Soumar, Ya-Ali, Quds variants, Hoveyzeh, Paveh and Ra'ad - fly at low altitudes and can follow terrain contours, making detection more difficult. The Soumar is assessed to have a range of up to 2,500 kilometres.

Drones add a different type of pressure. Although slower, they are inexpensive and can be launched in large numbers. Analysts expect Iran to use waves of one-way attack drones alongside missiles to overwhelm defences and maintain prolonged disruption at airports, ports and energy facilities.

Such saturation tactics allow Tehran to sustain psychological and operational pressure over hours rather than minutes.

Underground 'Missile Cities': Built for Survival

Iran's ability to continue fighting depends not only on weapons but also on survivability.

Over years, Tehran has constructed underground storage networks, concealed launch facilities and hardened tunnels - often referred to as“missile cities”. These sites are designed to preserve launch capability even after significant strikes.

For adversaries, this means destroying Iran's missile capacity quickly is unlikely, raising the risk that further attacks could trigger extended exchanges rather than decisive outcomes.

The Strait of Hormuz: Economic Leverage Without Blockade

Iran's strategic toolkit extends beyond land warfare. The Strait of Hormuz - a vital maritime corridor for global oil and gas shipments - provides Tehran with powerful economic leverage.

Iran can threaten shipping through antiship missiles, naval mines, drones and fast-attack craft. It has also promoted what it describes as“hypersonic” systems, including the Fattah series, claiming exceptional speed and manoeuvrability, though independent verification remains limited.

Even without a formal blockade, disruption can move markets. Reports of radio warnings attributed to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and attacks on US- and UK-linked oil tankers have already influenced vessel movements and insurance costs. Danish shipping giant Maersk announced the suspension of vessel crossings through the strait, underscoring the economic ripple effects.

US Military Presence: Strength and Vulnerability

Washington has responded by deploying additional naval and air assets to the region, creating one of the largest concentrations of US military power near Iran in years.

While this strengthens defensive and offensive capabilities, it simultaneously expands the number of potential targets. American forces rely on a distributed network of bases and logistics hubs across multiple countries, not all of which can be fully protected at all times.

Military analysts note that even limited successful strikes could reshape political calculations in Washington and increase pressure on regional allies.

Tehran Signals a Prolonged Campaign

Iranian leaders have long warned that attacks on Iranian territory would trigger a wider war rather than a contained confrontation. Following Khamenei's killing, that warning appears to have hardened into doctrine.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has promised continued retaliation, signalling an ongoing campaign involving missile launches toward Israel, strikes near US-linked facilities and threats against key trade routes.

The conflict also carries the risk of expansion through aligned groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen's Houthis, both of which have condemned Khamenei's killing and expressed support for Tehran.

MENAFN01032026007365015876ID1110806661