Iran says it has developed missiles with new capabilities, will use them if Israel attacks again

By AFP and ToI Staff 20 August 2025, 11:23 am

2 Edit

Members of the Iranian Basij paramilitary force march as a domestically built missile is displayed during a parade in Tehran, Iran, January 10, 2025. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

Iran says it is prepared for any new Israeli attack, announcing it has developed missiles with greater capabilities than those used during their recent 12-day war.

“The missiles used in the 12-day war were manufactured… a few years ago,” Defense Minister Aziz Nassirzadeh says, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

“Today, we have manufactured and possess missiles with far greater capabilities than previous missiles, and if the Zionist enemy embarks on the adventure again, we will undoubtedly use them,” he says without elaborating on the new capabilities.

The 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran began on June 13 with a surprise Israeli attack.

Israel said its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program was necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.

Iran retaliated to Israel’s strikes by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel.

The attacks killed 31 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals.

In all, there were 36 missile impacts and one drone strike in populated areas, causing damage to 2,305 homes in 240 buildings, along with two universities and a hospital, and leaving over 13,000 Israelis displaced.