Iran's weapon inventory could give it vast options for a retaliation attack

Entering the attack

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

The United States has officially joined Israel in its attacks against Iranian nuclear installations with a series of surprise bombings. The consequences could be devastating.

Uncertain outcome

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

The outcome of the attacks is still uncertain. Vice President JD Vance said the US is not at war with Iran, but only with its nuclear program. Still, that could quickly change based on actions not under US control.

What is Iran packing?

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

The future of the conflict depends on how severe Israel's threat against Iran's supreme leader is, and on the country's reaction to the US attacks: its arsenal is not to be taken lightly.

The largest missile arsenal

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According to Reuters and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the country has the largest missile arsenal in the Middle East. Some of them have managed to pass through Israel's anti-missile system.

Heavily hit

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Netanyahu's attacks have destroyed part of the arsenal, and the country's military capabilities have been widely used in multiple regional conflicts in the last year, Reuters said.

Manufacturing capabilities

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Still, the country has had weapon manufacturing independence for over a decade and a vast inventory, including some special systems that could be a real headache for Israel or the US.

Old arsenal

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, most of the country's equipment was Western, including US and UK weapons. From the 1980s forward, it changed to Soviet and Chinese weapons. However, the nation's military forces have gradually replaced them with national equipment.

Reverse engineering

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

US military sources told Business Insider that Iran is notorious for its capabilities to reverse engineer military equipment. It has allegedly done that to produce part of its armored vehicles, drones, and missiles.

Missiles

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Iran has a wide selection of long, medium, and short-range missiles. It also has access to a diversified arsenal through its regional proxies.

Long-range ballistic missiles

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Among its long-range ballistic missiles, the most important are the Sejil (pictured), Ghadr, and the Khorramshar, all self-produced and with a 2,000 km (around 1,250 miles) range.

More models

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Reuters also highlighted its self-produced Emad missile, which has a 1,700 km (over 1,000 miles) range, and its Shahab missile, which has a 1,300 km range.

Hoveyzeh

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It also has a 1,350 km-range self-propeller, the Hoveyzeh, reportedly remanufactured from the American M109A1 (pictured).

Anti-ship missiles

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The country also has a wide range of anti-ship missiles. According to specialized organizations like Global Security, it has reverse-engineered many of them from Chinese weapons.

Ground forces

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

The country also produces several armored vehicle models. According to Military Watch Magazine, some Iranian tanks are licensed versions of Russian ones, but others are indigenous.

Drones

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

More relevant to how the current conflict is developing, Iran also possesses a vast indigenous drone arsenal. For example, the Yasir (pictured) is a reverse-engineered version of the Boeing ScanEagle.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Tasnim News Agency

Special equipment

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Specialized outlets reported last year that Iran installed several Russian long-range electronic warfare systems, including the Murmansk-BN, which could counter Israeli attacks in the country.

Nuclear program

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

All intelligence agencies agreed that Iran did not have a nuclear arsenal, despite the broad disagreements on how advanced its developing program was or if it even started one.

US Intelligence report

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Tulsi Gabbard told Congress that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon. However, President Trump rejected the report. "I don't care what she said," he told reporters.

Israel's warnings

Entering the attack, Uncertain outcome, What is Iran packing?, The largest missile arsenal, Heavily hit, Manufacturing capabilities, Old arsenal, Reverse engineering, Missiles, Long-range ballistic missiles, More models, Hoveyzeh, Anti-ship missiles, Ground forces, Special equipment, Nuclear program, US Intelligence report, Israel's warnings

Israel, on the other hand, requested the support of Trump's White House to bomb Iran for months. The Israeli intelligence reports insisted that the country was close to building a weapon.

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