Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities: What we know

(NewsNation) — An Iranian airstrike connected a U.S. aerial basal successful Qatar connected Monday again raises concerns implicit the grade of Iran's rocket and atomic capabilities arsenic its ongoing struggle with Israel successful the Middle East continues.

A defence authoritative confirmed to NewsNation that Al-Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles. NewsNation reported Monday that Qatar's aerial defence strategy was capable to intercept each of the missiles and that determination were nary casualties astatine the base, wherever 10,000 American troops are stationed.

Retired Special Forces Lt. Col. Mike Nelson, who has extended acquisition with U.S. Central Command, told NewsNation connected Monday that respective factors, including the information that Iran communicated the onslaught successful beforehand and past fired the nonstop fig of bunker-buster bombs arsenic the U.S. did connected its play onslaught connected Fordow, amusement Iran’s intent.

Nelson told NewsNation that Monday's airstrike involving the aerial basal “was a axenic face-saving measure” and that Iran did not privation to escalate the struggle oregon origin casualties by targeting the U.S. base.

Iran's atomic weapons threat

International scrutiny of Iran’s atomic and rocket programs has intensified since 2024, erstwhile Israel and Iran exchanged nonstop rocket attacks, the Council connected Foreign Relations reported. However, the American foreign-policy driven deliberation vessel indicated that if Iran were capable to get atomic weapons, it would beryllium broadly destabilizing to the Middle East and surrounding regions.

On June 13, the Israel Defense Forces warned that Iran is “closer than ever” to obtaining a atomic weapon, calling it an “existential threat” to the world.

Iran does not presently person a atomic weapon, but Western analysts accidental it has the cognition and infrastructure to nutrient 1 “in reasonably abbreviated order” if its leaders chose.

Iran has a agelong past of concealed atomic weapons research, the Council connected Foreign Relations reported. However, arsenic precocious arsenic October, U.S. quality officials told Reuters they inactive believed Iran had decided not to physique a atomic limb aft suspending its programme successful 2003.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine discusses the ngo details of a onslaught connected Iran during a quality league astatine the Pentagon connected June 22 successful Arlington, Virginia. U.S. President Donald Trump gave an code to the federation past nighttime aft 3 Iranian atomic facilities were struck by the U.S. military. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The United States, Israel and different Middle Eastern allies presumption Iran arsenic a “primary threat” to their interests successful the portion and spot Iran’s imaginable acquisition of atomic weapons arsenic a “game-changing script to beryllium steadfastly prevented.”

Iran has maintained a civilian atomic vigor programme for much than 50 years and has repeatedly said that its atomic programme lone serves peaceful purposes. In March, President Donald Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the 2 sides would big bilateral talks successful Oman implicit Iran’s atomic program.

However, Iran announced aft it attacked Israel this period that it was pulling retired of atomic talks with the U.S., which were scheduled for June 15. Trump said Iran had "missed an opportunity" to marque a woody but that it whitethorn person a accidental to inactive scope an statement earlier it is excessively late.

A root adjacent to the White House told NewsNation connected Monday that portion Trump is considering a authorities alteration successful Iran, the president would overmuch alternatively onslaught a bid pact than wage a perchance bloody war.

On Saturday night, however, aft the U.S. attacked 3 cardinal Iranian atomic sites, Trump said Iran's main atomic sites had been obliterated. However, contempt Trump's claims, NBC News reported that astir 880 pounds of uranium that is enriched to 60% are publically unaccounted for.

Trump said successful an code to the federation aft the onslaught that if Iran did not question peace, aboriginal U.S. attacks connected Iranian interests could beryllium overmuch much serious.

How agelong would Iran request to make a atomic weapon?

Some analysts person suggested that Iran could nutrient capable fissile material, including uranium, for a atomic limb successful conscionable a fewer months, the Council connected Foreign Relations stated. Others person suggested that capable worldly could beryllium developed successful a substance of weeks but that really processing a atomic limb would apt instrumentality longer.

In 2024, then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Iran could nutrient capable fissile worldly required for a atomic limb successful 1 to 2 weeks.

However, officials pass that if Iran were capable to make a atomic limb and trial it “in the not-too-distant future,” Iran volition “overnight diminish immoderate powerfulness that Israel oregon America person successful the region.”

What different missiles does Iran have?

Iran has proven, based connected airstrikes delivered against Israel successful 2024, that it has an array of aerial powerfulness capabilities, including cruise and ballistic missiles arsenic good arsenic drones. U.S. quality officials person indicated that they judge Iran has the largest ballistic rocket inventory successful the full Middle East. The scope capableness of the missiles varies from 800 miles to much than 1,200 miles.

Iran’s longest-range missiles are reportedly susceptible of striking targets of up to astir 1,240 miles away, which would screen each of the Middle East and portion of Europe. Weapons experts told the deliberation vessel that larger, much accepted warheads could termination oregon injure hundreds of radical successful a dense municipality setting.

In 2022, U.S. Central Command estimated that Iran had implicit 3,000 ballistic missiles successful its arsenal, immoderate of which could scope Tel Aviv. 

Despite its immense arsenal, Iran has not yet tested oregon deployed a rocket susceptible of striking the United States, though it continues to make long-range missiles done its space-launch program, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

NewsNation’s Andrew Dorn contributed reporting this this story