Washington, Oct. 26 – Israeli airstrikes early Saturday hit key missile and former nuclear-related facilities in Iran, including buildings tied to Iran’s past nuclear weapons program, according to U.S.-based analysts and commercial satellite imagery.

David Albright, a former UN weapons inspector, and Decker Eveleth, a researcher at Washington’s CNA think tank, separately concluded that Israel targeted the Parchin and Khojir military sites near Tehran. Parchin, a massive complex, housed a building known as Taleghan 2, used during Iran’s now-defunct nuclear development initiative, while Khojir is a primary missile production site.

Satellite images reveal extensive damage to Parchin and Khojir. Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security, identified a building in Parchin linked to testing for Iran’s “Amad Plan,” its discontinued nuclear program. Eveleth noted extensive damage at Khojir, highlighting destroyed facilities integral to missile fuel production. Israeli jets reportedly hit the sites in response to Iran’s missile attacks on Israel on October 1, and Iran’s military later reported strikes on its radar systems across western Iran.

Albright shared images showing the destruction of structures used for solid-fuel missile production. Israel allegedly targeted facilities that house mixers essential for creating missile fuel, with each mixer representing a significant investment for Iran. “These mixers are hard to replace and essential for Iran’s missile stockpile,” Eveleth told Reuters.

Israeli airstrikes earlier yesterday hit critical missile and erstwhile nuclear-related facilities in Iran, including buildings tied to the country’s previous nuclear weapons program, US-based analysts and commercial satellite imagery said today.

In its investigation, former United Nations inspector of weapons of mass destruction David Albright, with Decker Eveleth, a research fellow at a Washington think tank of CNA, concluded on their own that Israel attacked two military establishments-one was located on the outskirts of Tehran at Parchin. Another is in a missile facility known as Khojir, outside the capital. The complex houses Parchin, where the facility known as Taleghan 2 is located, used by Iran when it developed its defunct nuclear production program. A significant Iranian missile facility is also present at Khojir.(More)

Satellite imagery indicates widespread destruction at both Parchin and Khojir. The head of the Institute for Science and International Security, Albright, reported seeing a building said to have been used in Iran’s “Amad Plan,” the country’s nuclear program years ago, abandoned at Parchin. Eveleth saw significant destruction at Khojir, saying damaged facilities were involved in the production of missile fuel. Reports say that the strikes were in retaliation to Iran’s missile attacks on Israel on October 1. Iran’s military later reported that its radar systems across western Iran had been hit.

Albright also posted pictures of factories engaged in producing solid-fuel missile destruction. According to reports, the Israelis hit mixers, which are highly indispensable in the production of rocket fuel. “These mixers are hard to replace and are critical to Iran’s missile arsenal,” reported Eveleth to Reuters.

The damage should be a significant blow to Iran’s missile program since it will be harder to rebuild its arsenal or execute massive attacks on Israel. Axios reported that Israel has damaged 12 “planetary mixers” very crucial for long-range missiles, which could discourage further increases in Iran’s rocket attacks. Iran has a vast missile arsenal, said US officials that it has been supplied to Russian forces, Yemeni Houthi rebels and Hezbollah. Iran and Russia deny the claims.

Reportedly, Eveleth and Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute recently added that the military complexes, Khojir and Modarres, were used to produce more missiles, an observation corroborated by three top-ranking Iranian officials.

Strikes signify more significant tensions and further fragile security in the region as Israel’s pinpointed and effective strikes in an attempt to slow down Iran’s missile development occur amid increasing regional anxieties and nuclear non-proliferation.

The destruction is likely a substantial setback for Iran’s missile program, making it harder for Tehran to rebuild its arsenal or conduct large-scale strikes against Israel. Axios reported that Israel damaged 12 “planetary mixers” critical for long-range missile production, which could dissuade Iran from further escalating missile attacks. Iran has a significant missile arsenal, which US officials claim has been supplied to Russian forces, Yemeni Houthi rebels, and Hezbollah. However, both Iran and Russia deny such claims.

Recent expansions at the Khojir and Modarres military complexes, as observed by Eveleth and Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute, were believed to be intended to boost missile production, an assessment corroborated by three senior Iranian officials. 

These strikes underscore the escalating tensions and the precarious state of regional security, as Israel’s precise and impactful strikes aim to hinder Iran’s missile development capabilities amidst growing concerns about regional stability and nuclear non-proliferation.