Iran shows underground 'missile city' as Bloomberg cites about 1,700 ballistic missiles

The underground complex

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have shown off a new underground complex that Iranian media call a 'missile city'. The video, published by the Iranian agency ISNA on 10 November, shows tunnels and chambers holding ballistic missiles, cruise-type missiles and their launchers. Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, and Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, are shown driving through the site in an open off-road vehicle and then addressing troops. The footage also shows a warhead developed for the Fateh-1 missile, mounted on a Khaybar Shekan missile, which an Israeli researcher says has a range of about 1,400 kilometres. Tasnim reported on 11 November that the complex holds these weapons, but it gave no location and no number of munitions.

Stockpile and output

Bloomberg, citing its own sources, says Iran is currently producing about 50 ballistic missiles a month. A Western official told the agency that intelligence data put Iran's stockpile at about 1,700 ballistic missiles, with monthly output at roughly half its pre-war level. That suggests Tehran has kept at least a partial capacity to rebuild its arsenal despite months of bombing. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi has said that all missile and drone production facilities will be moved underground to shield them from further attacks by the United States and Israel.

Cost of the war so far

Since the US and Israeli attacks began on 28 February, Iran has launched more than 4,900 Shahed drones and at least 2,200 ballistic missiles, according to Bloomberg. At least 1,000 Patriot interceptors have been used to repel Iranian counterattacks on US forces and their allies in the Middle East. Roughly 650 Patriots are produced each year, and each costs about $4 million, the agency said. Donald Trump has previously said that Iran's missile arsenal was largely destroyed in the American and Israeli strikes that opened the war in February.

Shahed drones (more than)4,900

Ballistic missiles (at least)2,200

Shahed drones (more than)

4900 launches

Ballistic missiles (at least)

2200 launches

Data from the article text

Used to repel Iranian counterattacks (at least)1,000

Produced each year (about)650

Used to repel Iranian counterattacks (at least)

1000 interceptors

Produced each year (about)

650 interceptors

Data from the article text

Range limits and warnings

The Guards have dropped their self-imposed limit that capped Iranian missile range at 2,000 kilometres. Iran International, an exile broadcaster, attributed to Abdollahi a warning that any further step by the enemy would bring a response beyond the region. Tal Inbar, an Israeli researcher, told Haaretz that pairing the warhead with the Khaybar Shekan raises the missile's manoeuvrability. The Guards are a separate force from Iran's national army, and their ground, air and naval forces number about 190,000 personnel, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.