69 Winter 2026 ground forces, aerospace forces, and a navy – maintains standalone dedicated units within its elite Quds Force responsible for the regime’s relationship with its proxies, partners, and other affiliated terrorist armed groups in the region. For example, the ‘Palestine Corps’ and other units are responsible for Iran-linked armed activities in other fronts across the region. The status, resources, and activities of the IRGC in this regard have helped create and sustain the ‘ring of fire’ and evidence the importance the regime places on actualizing its plan to destroy Israel.18 ii. Iran’s ballistic missiles program The Iranian regime had also accelerated mass production of ballistic missiles, launchers, and related infrastructure. These efforts were intended to increase Iran’s existing arsenal by thousands of additional missiles carrying heavy explosive payloads. As evidenced in Iran’s attacks on Israel in 2024 and during the Operation (as detailed below), Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities provided the regime with the capability to launch sustained and voluminous missile barrages that could reach any point in Israel’s territory with short preparation and launch time. Due to Israel’s small size, such capabilities in large amounts have the potential for causing mass causalities and widespread destruction all across its territory. The Iranian military build-up was also designed to deter efforts to counter the advancement of its nuclear weapons program, especially after Israel degraded significant capabilities of Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ following the October 7 attack. As such, and especially considering the regime’s stated intent to eradicate Israel and its continuous efforts to provide terrorist armed groups with such advanced means and the know-how to produce them independently, these actions – within the context described above – presented a strategic threat. The Iranian regime’s development and testing of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles goes against Annex B of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 addressing Iran’s nuclear program and other related activities.19 These violations, which persisted for years, since the adoption of the Resolution 2231, are well documented, and official protests have been filed with the U.N. Secretary-General and the Security Council. The scale, frequency, and nature of Iran’s missile activity, particularly its development of missiles with a range and payload consistent with nuclear delivery systems, flagrantly contravened this binding U.N. Security Council resolution. 18. The Iranian regime’s attacks are directed not just at Israel and Israeli officials and assets, but also towards Jewish people globally as well as other States. The regime has bombed Israeli and American embassies and conducted terrorist attacks against Jewish communities in different States, and over the years has been responsible for the murder and injury of thousands of American soldiers stationed in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. In recent years the Iranian regime has launched ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in the Middle East, shot down U.S. drones and supplied terrorist organizations such as the Houthis with advanced weapons used to attack maritime vessels belonging to the different States. Iranian weapons, including armed drones, have been used in attacks on other States, in contravention of Security Council resolutions and international law. The international community has repeatedly condemned Iran for its unlawful attacks and sponsorship of global terrorism, and enacted sanctions and embargoes on Iran and Iranian officials due to its unlawful activities. See Letter from the Acting Representative of the United States to the President of the Security Council, U.N. Doc. S/2025/426 (June 27, 2025). 19. For example, see a joint statement by 47 States which endorsed the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), of 18 October 2023: “… Iran’s missile program remains one of the greatest challenges to international nonproliferation efforts. Today, Iran holds the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, and its ballistic missile programs continue to pose a threat to countries across the region and beyond. In addition, Iran’s provision of missile and UAV technology to its partners and proxies endangers international stability and escalates regional tension. On October 18, 2023, the restrictions set forth in UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) to constrain Iran’s ballistic missile program are slated to expire. Resolution 2231 (2015) was based on the assumption that Iran would take the necessary steps towards restoring confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program. This has not happened. In this context, it is imperative that all States continue to take steps to counter Iran’s destabilizing ballistic missilerelated activities through ongoing counterproliferation cooperation.” https://2021-2025.state.gov/joint-statement-onun-security-council-resolution-2231-transition-day/.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgzNzA=