Test Launch of Iran's Khiebar ballistic missile which origins to the Soviet era SCUD system

The recent Israeli precise airstrikes on specific military targets in Iran have significantly impacted the country's missile capabilities, targeting critical components of its ballistic missile program.

On October 26, 2024, Israeli jets conducted strikes on multiple sites in Iran, including missile factories and facilities used for mixing solid fuel for long-range ballistic missiles. Specifically, 12 planetary mixers, essential for producing solid fuel, were destroyed. These mixers are sophisticated pieces of equipment that Iran cannot manufacture domestically and typically imports from China.

The strikes are reported to have severely hampered Iran's ability to replenish its missile stockpile. Analysts suggest that this could deter Iran from launching further large-scale missile attacks against Israel. The operation is seen as a significant blow to Iran's military capabilities, particularly its capacity to mass-produce missiles.

The airstrikes reportedly resulted in the deaths of four Iranian personnel. In addition to the mixers, other targets included buildings associated with Iran's defunct nuclear weapons program and drone production facilities. The Israeli military has emphasized that these strikes were aimed at military targets and not civilian infrastructure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the selection of targets was based on national interests rather than external pressures, notably from the United States. This assertion comes amidst concerns over escalating tensions in the region following Iran's earlier missile attacks on Israel.

Experts believe that the destruction of these facilities will delay Iran's missile production capabilities for at least one to two years, complicating its ability to respond militarily in the near future.