Iran has the missile stockpiles and capability to carry out continued retaliatory strikes despite losing top commanders in Israeli attacks, a former Israeli intelligence has official told NBC News.
The official, who was not identified by the NBC News, described Tehran's posture as one of "strategic patience," warning against suggestions that Iran’s government is on the verge of collapse.
"Tehran has the resolve and the ability to continue and to sustain the attacks," the official said.
The official said that "faster Iranian missiles launched in the last day have also given Israel less time to prepare before the projectiles approach their intended targets."
The official added Israel’s missile defence systems intercepted only 65 percent of Iranian projectiles in the past 24 hours—down from nearly 90 percent the day before.
He said Iran has deployed faster and more advanced missiles, reducing Israeli warning times from around 10 minutes to just six, and equipped with upgraded guidance systems that allow for more precise targeting.
"More importantly, the Iranians do have a navigation system for the final phase of the attack that helps them to be very precise and to attack exactly the targets that they wish, like the hospital today in Beersheba," the official said.
New missiles, and waiting on Washington
The Israeli army said Iran used a multi-warhead missile in one of its latest attacks, describing it as a new challenge to its air defences.
Army Radio quoted two security sources as saying the missile that struck Gush Dan consisted of several smaller projectiles.
Meanwhile, Maariv reported the Israeli army had opened an investigation after Iran fired a warhead larger than that of the Shahab-3 missile.
According to the paper, the Khorramshahr missile Iran used carries more than one tonne of explosives.
Amid the military escalation, attention remains focused on the United States, where President Donald Trump said he had not made a final decision on whether to intervene militarily in support of Israel.
CBS News cited a source as saying Trump believes the options are limited, and that completing the mission would require destroying Iran's Fordow facility.
One possibility under consideration, according to the source it cited, is allowing Iran to disable the site on its own.
Trump has reportedly delayed any final decision in the hope Tehran may agree to abandon its nuclear programme.
On Thursday, the White House claimed that Iran was just "weeks away" from developing a nuclear weapon.
This assertion contrasts with reports from the IAEA and US intelligence, which indicate that Tehran has not been manufacturing a nuclear weapon.
