Iran Builds Underground Bases Near Missile Sites

Iran is constructing new facilities and repairing damage at key military sites, according to a new analysis of satellite imagery. The work appears concentrated near missile bases that have sustained heavy damage during the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

Analysts at MAIAR, a British intelligence firm, identified evidence of digging and new buildings in photos taken this month. The activity is visible at the Garmdareh military base in Karaj, located near Tehran, and at the Shahroud base in northern Iran. At least 12 other military locations show signs of repair work.

Specific changes include new roofs on destroyed buildings at the Kermanshah missile base in western Iran, close to the Iraqi border. At the Parchin complex east of the capital, crews have cleared debris and leveled damaged structures. The site has been a frequent target of air strikes in the past.

Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst, said the excavations near Shahroud may relate to missile production. He noted that because the nearby air base has been hit multiple times, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps is likely moving production underground. A MAIAR analyst described this as a consistent pattern of burying infrastructure to protect it from future attacks.

Mark Mellett, a defense analyst and former head of the Irish military, added that underground facilities make it difficult for outside observers to assess the operational status of Iranian forces. This opacity provides a tactical advantage for Tehran.

Political speculation has grown that the US may resume attacks following the midterm elections held earlier this week. Vice President JD Vance cited the war's unpopularity among voters for the Republican party's poor performance in recent polls. He suggested the conflict may have cost the party control of the Senate for the next six years.

Sam Lair, a research analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said images from Karaj show a new portal for an underground facility. Multiple vehicles were visible in the area, and improvements were made to the nearby airbase. At the Taleghan 2 facility within the Parchin complex, analysts report that an underground bunker was repaired and reinforced with concrete.

Sean O'Connor, an analyst with Janes, said the construction is unlikely to be a deception effort aimed at foreign intelligence agencies. He argued that such a project would be costly and might achieve little if it were merely a bluff. The work appears to be substantive rather than cosmetic.

The developments follow claims from the White House that US and Israeli attacks have depleted Iranian armed forces. President Donald Trump previously described the Iranian military as a complete and total mess. A Pentagon spokesperson stated that the US destroyed up to 90 percent of Iran's drone, ballistic missile, and naval industrial base.

Iran maintains that it retains large stockpiles of missiles. State television broadcast footage this week showing dozens of missiles at the entrance to an underground facility in the south. In August, state media showed Khordad surface-to-air missiles emerging from a tunnel near Bandar Abbas. Mark Cancian, a military analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the activity indicates Tehran is prioritizing the rebuilding of military capability over economic rehabilitation to better defend against future attacks.