Iran's short-range weapons pose a threat to US Bases
A number of US bases are within range of Iran's short-range weapons. PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow our live coverage here.
WASHINGTON – Iran vowed to retaliate against American bases in the region even before the United States attacked its nuclear sites on June 21 , and US intelligence agencies have long warned that the military should prepare for such a response.
While Iran will likely attempt a fierce barrage, US and Israeli officials said before the attacks on June 21 that Israel's strikes in recent days had severely damaged Iran's ability to mount attacks, wiping out launchers and damaging military bases.
In more than a week of fighting before the US attacks, the Israeli air force struck Iranian missile launchers and launch teams, and Iran depleted its stockpile of medium-range missiles, according to US and Israeli officials.
In an address from the White House on June 21 , President Donald Trump warned Iran against further actions, and demanded that Tehran 'make peace.'
'There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,' Mr Trump said. 'But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.'
Iran could ignore Mr Trump's comments and deploy its remaining medium-range missiles, or its short-range weapons and cruise missiles, which could be used to threaten US bases in the Middle East, according to experts.
Mr Nicholas Carl, who studies Iran for the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, said those weapons have too short a range to be directly fired against Israel. But a number of US bases are within range.
In addition to cruise missiles and rockets, Iran also has an ample supply of attack drones, which could be particularly effective if they are smuggled to Shiite militias in Iraq and fired at US bases there, US officials said. And the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen, which reached a ceasefire agreement with the United States in May , could resume its attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
'Iran has many ways of imposing pressure on the West and the international community writ large,' Mr Carl said in an interview before the strike on the three nuclear sites.
US officials said Iran would probably use its bases in the southern part of the country to launch missile attacks on US bases in the Persian Gulf.
The fighting has strained Israel's supply of missile interceptors and Iran's capacity to attack.
When the war began, Iran had some 2,000 long and midrange weapons, one of the largest collections in the region, according to Israeli officials. US officials have generally accepted that estimate. It is not clear how much of Iran's arsenal remains. The country has fired off hundreds of missiles, and Israel has damaged sites where they are stored.
Israel's strikes on missile launchers have been even more significant, limiting Iran's ability to fire missiles and large-scale barrages, US officials and outside experts said. Israel's campaign has also hurt Iran's ability to coordinate attacks, according to experts and Israeli officials.
US bases in the Middle East are protected by missile defences , and Iran would likely have to fire a large coordinated barrage of missiles to penetrate them.
Mr Carl said Iran's capacity to fire large numbers of missiles is increasingly limited. At least half of Iran's launchers have been destroyed.
'As you begin to whittle away at the launchers, the Iranian ability to summon these large volumes of missile fire is diminished,' Mr Carl said. 'And that is a huge problem for Iran.'
The Israeli attacks have forced Iran to change its tactics and operations. Mr Carl said that in response to Israel's strikes on missile crews preparing to launch weapons, Iran appeared to be trying to launch missiles more quickly.
'The Iranians appear to be accelerating their launch timeline,' Mr Carl said. 'That means it is harder to coordinate large-scale attacks across the country.'
Key weaknesses in Iran's arsenal were revealed in attacks on Israel in 2024 . Israeli and US air defence proved adept at intercepting missiles. Iranian targeting is imperfect, and many missiles miss their targets. Quality control problems have led to significant numbers of malfunctions.
To overcome those problems, Iran needs to be able to fire large numbers of missiles simultaneously. But as long as Israeli pressure on launch sites continues, experts say, Iran will struggle to fire large barrages, which could limit its ability to retaliate against US bases.
US missile defences – ranging from Patriot batteries to Aegis destroyers – have the capacity to defend military bases in the region. Those defences will be more effective against small barrages of weapons.
Iranian officials have said that US bases in Iraq would probably be their first targets, either with a direct missile strike or by rockets or drones fired by pro-Iran militias. Iran may not want to strike US bases in Arab countries, but that calculation would probably change after the US attacks on Iran's underground Fordo nuclear site, and other sites in Natanz and Isfahan, US officials said. NYTIMES
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
an hour ago
- Business Times
Japanese ships transiting Strait of Hormuz to minimise time in Gulf
[TOKYO] Japan's Nippon Yusen and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said on Monday they have instructed their vessels to minimise the time spent in the Gulf as they continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The shipping companies said they are closely monitoring the situation and sharing updates with ships operating in the region. 'We are instructing our vessels to shorten their time in the Persian Gulf whenever possible, depending on their schedules,' a Nippon Yusen spokesperson said. 'We will make decisions on each vessel's passage through the Strait of Hormuz on a flexible basis,' he added. MOL's safety operation supporting centre in Tokyo has stepped up 24-hour surveillance, a company spokesperson said. 'We are advising vessels operating in the area to exercise maximum caution and providing them with latest information,' he said, adding that their vessels have also been instructed to minimise the time in the Gulf. President Donald Trump said the US had 'obliterated' Iran's main nuclear sites in strikes over the weekend, joining an Israeli assault in an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to defend itself. Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure. Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20 per cent of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak following the US strikes. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Japanese ships transiting Strait of Hormuz to minimise time in Gulf
FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship boat model is pictured in front of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) logo in this illustration taken March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship boat model is pictured in front of the Nippon Yusen (NYK) logo in this illustration taken March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo TOKYO - Japan's Nippon Yusen and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said on Monday they have instructed their vessels to minimise the time spent in the Gulf as they continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The shipping companies said they are closely monitoring the situation and sharing updates with ships operating in the region. "We are instructing our vessels to shorten their time in the Persian Gulf whenever possible, depending on their schedules," a Nippon Yusen spokesperson said. "We will make decisions on each vessel's passage through the Strait of Hormuz on a flexible basis," he added. MOL's safety operation supporting centre in Tokyo has stepped up 24-hour surveillance, a company spokesperson said. "We are advising vessels operating in the area to exercise maximum caution and providing them with latest information," he said, adding that their vessels have also been instructed to minimise the time in the Gulf. President Donald Trump said the U.S. had "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites in strikes over the weekend, joining an Israeli assault in an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to defend itself. Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure. Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak following the U.S. strikes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Small protests against the US attack in Iran sprouted up over the weekend
US Marines stand guard as demonstrators protest against the United States joining with Israel in attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, at a federal building in Los Angeles, California, on June 22, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS Small protests against the US attack in Iran sprouted up over the weekend Protesters in more than a dozen US cities demonstrated on June 22 against the Trump administration's airstrikes on Iran. Some rallies attracted hundreds, while others drew dozens. The overall turnout was far less than last weekend's 'No Kings' protests against President Donald Trump that were held in all 50 states. Many of the June 22 demonstrations, held in cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles, were arranged late on June 21 and had been described by organisers as 'emergency mobilisations'. Demonstrators at several locations carried Iranian flags, and some held signs and placed banners across fences and buildings that read 'No War in Iran!' Outside the gates of the White House in Washington, at least 200 demonstrators condemned the president, including some veterans. 'He's trying to become a king,' said Mr Ron Carmichael, 78, who flew helicopters in the Vietnam War. In Chicago, more than 200 people attended a rally downtown. Mr Ali Tarokh, a resident who said he immigrated from Iran 12 years ago after being imprisoned for political activities for two years, described the news of the airstrikes as 'the worst thing that could have happened'. Although he opposes the Iranian leadership, Mr Tarokh said slow change was the only way to reform the government. 'Regime change is kind of impossible over there,' he said, adding that Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have only impeded any transition to a democratic society. Some protesters said that the escalating conflict with Iran would further the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In Los Angeles, Ms Noor Abdel-Haq, a 26-year-old nurse, said she came out because of her personal ties to the tensions in the Middle East. Most of her family lives in Gaza or the West Bank, she said. 'We don't want more murder and destruction.' Ms Abdel-Haq was among the scores of people who assembled in the Westwood neighborhood in a peaceful demonstration. Nearby, a small contingent of Marines and federal agents stood wearing tactical gear and carrying rifles. In 98 deg F (36.7 deg C) heat in Richmond, Virginia, Ms Violeta Vega, 23, an in-home care worker and a leader of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in Richmond, led protesters at Abner Clay Park in chants that included 'Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation'. The crowd numbered in the dozens. After the rally, her voice raspy, Ms Vega said the gathering was necessary. 'I felt empowered knowing that this was a day of action around the country,' she said. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
