US warns of global missile threat, with Pakistan’s long-range missile capability

The United States has warned that Pakistan could develop long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching American territory, as part of a broader global expansion in missile capabilities.

Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers on Wednesday that Islamabad’s ongoing missile programme may eventually include intercontinental-range systems able to strike the US homeland.

Speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee, she said the overall missile threat facing the United States is expected to grow sharply over the next decade. Current estimates suggest more than 3,000 missiles could threaten the US, but that number may rise to over 16,000 by 2035.

Gabbard emphasised that while Washington’s nuclear deterrent remains effective, several countries are investing heavily in new delivery systems. She identified Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan as key actors developing a mix of advanced and conventional missile technologies capable of carrying nuclear or non-nuclear payloads.

According to the US Intelligence Community’s assessment, both Russia and China are working on sophisticated systems designed to evade or penetrate American missile defence networks. Meanwhile, North Korea already possesses intercontinental ballistic missiles believed to be capable of reaching US soil and continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.

Gabbard also noted that Iran has demonstrated technological capabilities, including space launch systems, that could support the development of a viable intercontinental ballistic missile if it chooses to pursue one before 2035.

She added that future assessments would take into account the impact of Operation Epic Fury, which targeted Iran’s missile production sites, stockpiles and launch infrastructure.

The findings form part of the US Intelligence Community’s latest annual threat assessment, which underscores the continued importance of advanced missile systems despite the growing use of one-way attack drones. The report states that countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and Russia are likely to prioritise high-end missile development while also deploying cheaper, expendable systems to overwhelm defences.

Beyond major powers, the report highlights an increasingly assertive global landscape in which regional states are more willing to use force to advance their interests. It points to countries including Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates as employing a mix of proxy forces, military support and direct intervention to influence conflicts.

The assessment further warns of a rise in covert and coercive tactics below the threshold of open warfare. These include sabotage, targeted killings, detentions, non-lethal attacks and even the manipulation of migration flows as strategic tools.

Officials caution that even in the absence of direct conflict between major powers, these evolving threats could significantly increase global instability in the years ahead.

With PTI inputs