Iran’s New Threat: ‘2000 Missiles at Once’

Newsweek -Nov10th 2025

By Amir Daftari

Iran is accelerating its missile production with the stated goal of being able to fire 2,000 missiles at once in any future confrontation with Israel, aiming to overwhelm the country’s advanced defense systems, according to a report by The New York Times.

The ambition marks a sharp escalation from June’s 12-day war, when Iran launched roughly 500 missiles in retaliation for Israeli strikes on its critical infrastructure, military bases and nuclear facilities. Officials have reportedly said missile factories are operating around the clock to achieve this larger-scale capability.

Newsweek has contacted Iran and Israel’s Foreign Ministries for comment.

Why It Matters

Iran’s expanding missile program underscores the growing volatility in the Middle East. If Tehran reaches its target capacity, Israel’s multi-layered missile defenses could face unprecedented pressure. The buildup occurs amid a tense stalemate over Iran’s nuclear program and President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy.

Earlier this year, Israel’s surprise attack on Iran sparked a 12-day conflict that concluded with U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. While the war temporarily paused hostilities, it left both sides poised for renewed confrontation. Tehran’s accelerated missile production and ongoing nuclear activity suggest that any future clash could exceed the scale of the previous exchange, raising the risk of rapid escalation across the region.

What to Know

On Sunday, The New York Times reported that Iran has shifted toward mass-strike readiness, with missile factories reportedly operating 24 hours a day to reach the explicit goal of being able to launch 2,000 missiles simultaneously. Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, told the NYT that Tehran hopes to “overwhelm Israeli defenses” in a future confrontation, rather than repeating the more limited response seen in June.

Regional Isolation

This push comes amid a broader context of regional isolation and strategic recalibration. According to the report, Iran is more isolated from the West than it has been in decades. Competing regional Arab powers, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have increased influence in Washington and with Trump, leveraging both economic ties and cooperation on regional conflicts, including attempts to mediate the Gaza war.

Syria’s new president is set to visit Washington seeking U.S. support; under the previous Assad government, Syria had been a key Iranian strategic ally. An erosion of influence in key regional capitals appears to be reinforcing Tehran’s focus on self-reliance, missile buildup, and nuclear expansion as a hedge against reduced diplomatic leverage.

Israeli Perspective

Israel’s perspective reflects the urgency these developments create. Israeli officials view Iran’s nuclear and missile advances as existential threats. Although Israel’s June offensive was halted under U.S. pressure, officials reportedly consider the work unfinished and see no barrier to resuming strikes if Iran continues advancing its nuclear and missile programs.

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