[News] ‘It Was About Missiles All Along’: Israeli Media Recasts the Goals of the Iran War

[Anti-Imperialist News]

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‘It Was About Missiles All Along’: Israeli Media Recasts the Goals of the
Iran WarMay 12, 2026
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A missile seen in footage shared on social media as part of Iran’s 79th
wave of ‘True Promise 4’ operations. (Photo: Social media)

*By Palestine Chronicle Staff
<https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/palestine-chronicle-staff>*

An Israeli analysis argues Iran’s expanding ballistic missile arsenal, not
nuclear sites, drove the war with Tehran.

Key Takeaways

   - The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel launched the war primarily to
   curb Iran’s growing ballistic missile arsenal.
   - The analysis said Iran was rapidly rebuilding missile stockpiles and
   launchers after losses sustained in 2025.
   - Israeli officials reportedly believe the missile threat poses a more
   immediate danger than Iran’s nuclear program.

Ballistic Missiles

In an analysis published by The Jerusalem Post, military and intelligence
correspondent Yonah Jeremy Bob argued that Iran’s ballistic missile program
— rather than its nuclear infrastructure — was the central reason behind
Israel’s war on Iran.

The report said Israeli and American political leaders publicly framed the
conflict around “imminent threats” tied to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but
claimed the reality inside Israeli military planning was more nuanced.

According to the analysis, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir warned
senior US military officials that Iran’s missile production was
accelerating too quickly to delay military action.

“The Post has learned that the IDF chief said that putting off attacking
would heavily harm the war effort later,” the report stated.
Iran Rebuilding Missile Capacity

The analysis claimed Iran had rebuilt roughly half of the ballistic
missiles and launchers it lost following the June 2025 war.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Iran was producing “an additional 200-300
ballistic missiles per month.”

The report said Israeli officials estimated Iran already possessed around
2,500 long-range missiles capable of striking Israel before the latest war
began.

Zamir reportedly warned that waiting six more months could have allowed
Iran to reach “around 4,000 missiles,” while another year could have pushed
the arsenal “over 6,000 missiles.”

The analysis argued that such numbers could potentially overwhelm Israel’s
air defenses and rapidly exhaust interceptor supplies.
Not about Nuclear Program

The report argued that Israel’s campaign was “not primarily about the
nuclear issue.”

“The IDF barely attacked any nuclear sites,” the analysis stated, adding
that many facilities “have still not been rebuilt after they were destroyed
in June 2025.”

“Nor was it regime change,” the report said, arguing Israeli officials did
not believe airstrikes alone could topple the Iranian government.

Instead, the article alleged that Israel’s goal was to reduce Iran’s
existing missile arsenal and delay future missile production “by several
years.”
Dispute over Damage Assessment

The analysis also challenged recent US intelligence leaks suggesting Iran
retained most of its missile capability.

A Washington Post report citing CIA officials claimed only around 30% of
Iran’s missiles and 25% of its launchers were destroyed during the war.

But The Jerusalem Post said Israeli intelligence estimates were far higher,
with some assessments claiming between 60% and 75% of missile launchers
were destroyed.

The article argued part of the confusion stemmed from differing definitions
of “ballistic missiles.”

According to the report, many US estimates may include Iran’s large
stockpile of short-range missiles targeting Gulf states, while Israel’s
assessments focus specifically on long-range missiles capable of reaching
Israeli territory.
Underground Sites

The analysis acknowledged that Iran surprised both Israel and the United
States with the speed at which it restored underground missile
infrastructure after Israeli bombardment.

“This issue is especially dynamic as Iran surprised both Israel and the US
with the speed at which they were able to excavate and uncover underground
missile sites,” the report stated.

The article also raised concerns about possible Chinese assistance in
rebuilding Iran’s missile capabilities.

While Chinese officials reportedly denied involvement in illegal weapons
transfers, the report said Beijing did not appear to object to supplying
Iran with “dual-use fuel” that could support missile production.
Future Wars

The analysis concluded that future Israeli military action against Iran is
now more likely to revolve around conventional missile threats rather than
nuclear facilities.

“In fact, if Israel needs to strike again in future years, it is more
likely to need to be because of the conventional ballistic missile threat
than the nuclear threat,” the article stated.

According to the report, Iran’s nuclear infrastructure remains heavily
damaged and under close surveillance by both Israel and the United States.

But the missile issue, the analysis warned, remains largely absent from
ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

“Absent an understanding and limit of some kind,” the report concluded, “in
two or three years, Israel might need to strike again.”
Reframing a Failed War

The US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28 with the declared
objective of dismantling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, degrading its
missile arsenal and, ultimately, weakening or toppling the Iranian
government.

However, Iran’s response — which included sustained missile attacks against
Israel and strikes targeting US and Israeli military and strategic assets
across the region — disrupted the assumptions underpinning the military
campaign.

The scale and intensity of the Iranian retaliation appeared to force both
Washington and Tel Aviv to gradually shift their public discourse regarding
the purpose of the war itself.

In that context, the Jerusalem Post analysis appears to reflect an attempt
to retrospectively redefine Israeli objectives and portray the military
campaign as strategically successful despite the absence of decisive
political or military gains.

Many analysts, including voices within mainstream Western policy circles,
now argue that the war may ultimately strengthen Iran’s regional position
rather than weaken it.

Instead of isolating Tehran, the confrontation demonstrated Iran’s ability
to sustain military pressure across multiple fronts while exposing
vulnerabilities in Israeli and American planning.

Several analysts also argue the conflict is likely to push Gulf states
toward closer relations with Iran as regional governments increasingly
prioritize stability and de-escalation over alignment with Israeli military
escalation.

*(JPost, WaPo, PC)*
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