Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has revealed that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan are actively developing missile systems capable of reaching American soil with nuclear or conventional warheads. Tulsi made this assessment on Wednesday, March 18, during congressional hearings on worldwide threats.
Appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the annual worldwide threats briefing amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran, Gabbard laid out the IC’s view on emerging strategic risks.
“The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range,” she said, according to multiple reports and video clips from the hearing.
Gabbard noted that Russia and China are the most active and advanced in this space, with systems designed to penetrate or bypass U.S. missile defenses.
North Korea already fields intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that can reach the continental United States and continues expanding its arsenal while deepening ties with Moscow and Beijing.
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Iran, despite heavy degradation from recent U.S. and Israeli strikes, retains missile capabilities and could pursue longer-range systems in the future if the regime rebuilds.
The inclusion of Pakistan is notable
Gabbard flagged Pakistan’s developing long-range ballistic missile program as an emerging concern, with projections that it could eventually develop ICBM-class weapons capable of striking the U.S. homeland.
It is the public domain that Pakistan has the nuclear warheads and short-range missiles, mostly used or rather developed with an aim of targeting its immediate rival countries like India, but the analysis of the intelligence reports suggests that they are developing the long-range missiles.
Naming Pakistan along with the traditional enemies like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran shows the shift in the U.S. perception, especially when the U.S. is trying to improve ties with India, as seen in the recent past.
The focus of Trump’s government has been on consolidating defense cooperation and economic ties with India. Meanwhile, Pakistan-U.S. relations remain tense due to various critical issues concerning terrorism, as the U.S. suspects Pakistan’s hidden support for terrorist activities.
The U.S. may be showing a turn towards taking a more open stance on cooperating with India’s point of view on security, now that Pakistan’s reported plans for missiles are publicly highlighted.
The Pakistan military has traditionally regarded its nuclear and missile capabilities as essential deterrents, so this new development could create tension in an already volatile part of the world.
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The revelation came to light after top intelligence officers, including Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel, faced hard-hitting questions over the ongoing Iranian conflict.
The Democrats asked Gabbard about her previous claims regarding Iranian reprisals, including strikes against Gulf nations and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The repercussions of the war at home, such as the resignation of the head of the National Counterterrorism Center over the justification of the war, also increased the scrutiny.
Gabbard pointed out that the U.S. still had a solid nuclear capability against the threats, but also pointed out that the missiles with capabilities to hit the U.S. could increase by the thousands by the year 2035 if the trends are not checked.
With Russia and China continuing to advance their military technology, North Korea rapidly improving its capabilities, Iran still rebuilding its strength due to recent and ongoing strikes against its military installations by Israel and the United States, and Pakistan testing the limits of its capabilities, the United States faces the reality of the most congested and complex missile environment in decades.
So far, no changes to policies or strategic direction have been announced. However, the naming of these five nations as such suggests that the debate in the coming months in Congress will be more contentious and sophisticated with regard to defense spending and strategy.
