Iran Builds Underground Missile Sites After Israeli Strikes

US Navy activity in the region (Photo: US CENTCOM)

Satellite images taken in November reveal extensive excavation and construction work near two major Iranian missile bases, alongside repairs at a minimum of 12 military sites damaged in American and Israeli strikes. The findings come from an analysis by BBC Verify, the BBC's fact-checking unit.

The images show excavations and new structures at the Garmdareh military base near Karaj, approximately 40 kilometers west of Tehran, and at the Shahroud base in Semnan province, roughly 400 kilometers northeast of the capital. Analysts from the British intelligence firm MAIAR reviewed the imagery and identified significant activity at both locations.

What the images show

At the Karaj base, numerous pieces of heavy equipment are visible at the excavation site, along with improvements to the adjacent air force base. Researcher Sam Lair of the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) assesses that the work represents "a new entrance to an underground facility."

Analysis by Janes Group points to a new facility under construction, including tunnel entrances and structures, possibly an expansion of damaged missile bases or a storage facility. At the missile base in Kermanshah, western Iran, new roofs have been built over destroyed buildings.

At the Parchin complex, about 30 kilometers southeast of Tehran, damaged buildings and debris have been cleared. At the Taleghan 2 facility within the complex, substantial work has been completed: buildings were demolished, and damage to an underground bunker was repaired and reinforced with concrete.

Near the city of Qom, adjacent to the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, new construction and excavation work has been observed outside tunnel entrances.

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said in August that Israeli operatives “toured the Fordow nuclear site many times,” calling the American bombing of the facility “the fulfillment of all my dreams.”

What the experts say

Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst specializing in Iran, estimates that the excavations near Shahroud are related to missile production. According to him, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is attempting to move production facilities underground, after the adjacent air force base was struck multiple times.

A MAIAR analyst noted that Iran has "a clear pattern of moving infrastructure underground to protect it from future strikes."

Mark Mellett, former chief of staff of the Irish Defence Forces, added that moving facilities underground makes it harder for adversaries to assess Iran’s full operational capabilities.

Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the rapid construction likely reflects Iranian preparations for further American and Israeli attacks, and a decision to prioritize rebuilding military capabilities.

The findings come alongside American claims of severe damage to Iran’s military. Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell told the Wall Street Journal that the United States “destroyed up to 90% of Iran’s drone, ballistic missile, and naval industrial base.” Iran, for its part, says it still maintains large missile stockpiles, and the Journal reported in September, citing U.S. officials, that Iran had resumed producing liquid-fuel ballistic missiles.

In recent weeks, speculation has grown regarding the possibility of renewed American strikes. Security and intelligence sources estimate that the United States and Iran are actively preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting, with the Americans continuing to increase their military presence in the region daily.