Highlights:
The United States is facing a rapidly evolving missile threat landscape, with several nations advancing capabilities that could directly target the American homeland, according to top intelligence officials.
Speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard highlighted growing concerns over long-range missile development by multiple countries, including Pakistan. She stated that Pakistan’s ongoing ballistic missile program could eventually produce intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the United States.
Gabbard emphasized that the scale of global missile threats is expected to increase dramatically over the next decade. The US Intelligence Community currently estimates that more than 3,000 missiles worldwide can threaten the US, but that number could rise to over 16,000 by 2035. This surge reflects both technological advancements and increased proliferation among state actors.
She noted that major powers such as China and Russia are investing heavily in next-generation delivery systems designed to evade or penetrate US missile defense networks. These include hypersonic weapons and other advanced platforms that complicate interception efforts. Meanwhile, North Korea already possesses ICBMs capable of reaching US territory and continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.
Pakistan, while not yet confirmed to possess ICBMs targeting the US, is developing longer-range missile systems that could potentially achieve such capability in the future. Similarly, Iran has demonstrated space-launch technologies that could be adapted for missile development. According to Gabbard, Iran could produce a militarily viable ICBM before 2035 if it chooses to pursue that path.
The intelligence assessment also referenced ongoing US military actions, including Operation Epic Fury, which targeted Iran’s missile infrastructure. Officials are still evaluating the full impact of these strikes on Iran’s production capacity and overall missile capabilities.
In addition to traditional missile systems, the report pointed to the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), particularly one-way attack drones, which function similarly to missiles. Despite this trend, countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia are expected to continue prioritizing advanced missile technologies. Their strategies will likely combine high-end systems with lower-cost, expendable weapons to overwhelm and strain US defenses.
Beyond the major powers, the report warned that regional and smaller nations are becoming more willing to use military and شبه-military tactics to achieve strategic objectives. Countries including Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates are increasingly relying on proxy forces, lethal aid, and direct military involvement to influence conflicts and counter rivals.
The assessment also highlighted a growing trend toward covert and indirect forms of conflict. Nations are employing tactics that fall below the threshold of open warfare, such as sabotage, targeted assassinations, arbitrary detentions, cyber operations, and even manipulating migration flows as a tool of pressure.
Overall, the report paints a picture of a more complex and volatile global security environment, where both advanced weaponry and unconventional tactics are reshaping how nations compete and confront one another.
