Satellite Images Show Iran Rebuilding Missile Sites Hit by Israel

• Satellite images from Planet Labs shows that Iran rebuilding solid-fuel missile production facilities struck during the June war.
• Tehran views missile rebuilding as essential after Israel destroyed air defenses and launched strikes on production sites.

Iran has begun rebuilding missile production facilities targeted by Israel during their 12-day war in June, according to satellite images reviewed by Planet Labs. The restructuring demonstrates Tehran’s determination to re-establish one of its few remaining military deterrents, despite the absence of critical equipment.

Rebuilding After Israeli Strikes

Images from Planet Labs PBC show ongoing construction at missile facilities in Parchin and Shahroud, where mixing buildings and other structures were heavily damaged by Israeli strikes.

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Planetary mixers — machines with blades revolving around a central point to produce evenly blended solid fuel — were specifically targeted during the Israeli campaign. Without them, Iran’s ability to mass-produce solid-fuel missiles remains limited.

Importance of Solid-Fuel Missiles

Solid-fuel missiles, unlike liquid-fueled ones, can be launched quickly without lengthy preparation. That speed proved critical during the war: Israel was able to strike launchers before some liquid-fuel missiles could be fired, while solid-fuel weapons had greater survivability.
Iran maintains major solid-fuel missile sites at Khojir and Parchin near Tehran, and at Shahroud northeast of the capital. All were hit during Israeli strikes in October 2024 and again in June 2025.

Iranian and Israeli Positions

Iran’s defense minister, Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, said last month that the war had shifted priorities:

“We are now focused on producing military equipment with higher precision and greater operational capabilities.”

Israel has framed its strikes as essential to blocking what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as Iran’s path to building 20,000 missiles, a threat he called existential. During the June conflict alone, Iran fired more than 570 ballistic missiles at Israel, according to the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.

China’s Role

According to the US officials, Iran may turn to China for planetary mixers and solid-fuel ingredients. The U.S. has already sanctioned Chinese firms accused of supplying missile materials.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it supports Iran’s sovereignty but added:

“China is deeply concerned about the continued escalation of tensions in the Middle East.”

Strategic Outlook

Analysts from CNS warn that if Iran restores production to pre-war levels — reportedly over 200 solid-fuel missiles a month — it will become harder for Israel to neutralize the arsenal.Carl Parkin of the James Martin Center noted:

“Israel’s targeting indicates that they believed mixing was a bottleneck in Iran’s missile production. If Iran overcomes that, they’ll have the casting capacity to produce at high volumes again.”

Lair added:

“They are clearly very invested in their missile program, and I don’t think that they’re going to negotiate it away, ever.”