Israel Startled by Iran's Rapid Rebuilding of Military Infrastructure

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Iran has reportedly rebuilt military and civilian infrastructure damaged by American and Israeli bombing in recent months. According to Western and Israeli officials and a review of satellite imagery, the recovery encompasses missile bases in the mountains, bridges, ports and military production facilities.

The speed of the reconstruction has triggered concern among Israeli officials. It demonstrates Tehran’s resilience despite facing more than 20,000 air strikes at the height of the war. The strikes initially aimed to break Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz and destroy its military logistics capability.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Airbus shows tangible evidence of the rebuilding effort.

Ran Kochav, a former Israeli air defence and missile commander, said Iran’s industrialisation and reconstruction capabilities were highly impressive. “They are restocking their inventory. They have a very capable ability to rebuild infrastructure,” he said.

The massive rebuilding effort stands in contrast to political claims in Washington and Israel. President Donald Trump previously declared Iran’s military totally destroyed, whilst Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his side had destroyed Iran’s missile production machine.

However, the reality on the ground shows Iran remains capable of launching precision attacks on ships and US-allied bases in the region, including a strike in Jordan that recently killed three American soldiers. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly maintained the position that the military operation was an overwhelming victory that succeeded in weakening Iran’s militia allies and ensuring Tehran does not possess nuclear weapons.

Beyond missile facilities, Israeli intelligence believes Iran may have moved thousands of centrifuges into tunnels at Pickaxe Mountain. The step heightens concerns that Iran is reassembling its nuclear programme in a location harder to reach by air strikes.

Although advanced component facilities such as carbon fibre may take longer to recover, analysts warned that Iran most likely stockpiled those components in underground facilities for short-term missile and drone assembly. “This is a matter of will, time and money,” concluded Tal Inbar, senior analyst at the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. (The Wall Street Journal/I-2)