Jerusalem concerned Tehran could rebuild nuclear program, but primarily worried about potential surge in ballistic missile production to some 3,000 a month, according to NBC

“The nuclear weapons program is very concerning. There’s an attempt to reconstitute. [But] it’s not that immediate,” a source with knowledge of Israel’s plans told NBC News.

“The threat of the missiles is very real, and we weren’t able to prevent them all last time,” another source said.

A source with knowledge on the matter, as well as former US officials, told NBC that Jerusalem believes Iran’s renewed production of ballistic missiles could increase to 3,000 per month if left unchecked.

Such an arsenal, in addition to threatening Israel, could serve as a deterrent against Israeli action to act against the Islamic Republic’s proxies in the region, or against its nuclear program.

Israel launched its war against Iran in June, targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and citing an imminent existential threat to the Jewish state.

Over 12 days, successive waves of airstrikes killed Iranian nuclear scientists, took out much of the supply and production capacity for the missile program, and damaged uranium enrichment sites, with the US joining in the last days to take out underground nuclear facilities that only heavy bunker-buster bombs could penetrate.

Iran said over 1,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the war. It retaliated by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel, which killed 32 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals.

In all, Israel suffered 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.

The Washington Post reported this week that Netanyahu and Trump had discussed a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear program as early as February, during their first meeting after the US president’s return to office. Israel and the US coordinated plans throughout the following months, including while Trump held talks with Iran in an effort to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully, The Post said.

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