A senior Israeli political official said Wednesday evening that Iran has moved centrifuges to a mountain facility and retains an estimated 1,500–1,600 ballistic missiles. The official reiterated that the decision to strike Iran lies with President Trump and assessed that Iran is currently somewhat deterred from attacking Israel. The official confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei is alive but expressed doubt about his decision-making role.
In a follow-up briefing Wednesday evening at 23:21 Jerusalem, a senior Israeli political official provided an updated assessment of Iran's military posture. The official confirmed that Iran has moved centrifuges to Mount Machus, a mountain facility, and retains an estimated 1,500–1,600 ballistic missiles. The official reiterated that the decision on any strike against Iran rests with U.S. President Donald Trump, and assessed that Iran is currently "somewhat deterred" from attacking Israel. The official also confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader, is alive, but expressed doubt that he is the one making key decisions.
The official's briefing follows a series of disclosures earlier Wednesday. At 18:07 Jerusalem, the same official first revealed that Iran transferred centrifuges to Mount Makosh and stated that the strike decision lies with Trump. At that time, the official said Israel was not aware of enrichment taking place at the site. At 18:24 Jerusalem, the official provided additional details, estimating Iran's ballistic missile arsenal at 1,500, confirming that Khamenei is alive, and discussing potential Israeli operations in refugee camps in Judea and Samaria. The current briefing consolidates these assessments with a more precise missile count and the deterrence evaluation. The official has been the sole source throughout the day, speaking on condition of anonymity, with reports corroborated by multiple Israeli news outlets.
The Zioneer has reported on the broader regional context: the United States, Israel, and Gulf states are reportedly preparing a joint military operation against Iran and the Houthis (The Zioneer, July 25). The Houthis have claimed missile strikes on Israel and Saudi Arabia (The Zioneer, June 8). Israeli and U.S. defense officials have been coordinating joint strike scenarios in recent weeks (The Zioneer, July 13). The official's comments come amid this heightened state of readiness, with the U.S. and Israel aligning on potential military options.
Several open questions remain. The official's estimate of 1,500–1,600 ballistic missiles is an assessment, and the status of enrichment at Mount Machus has not been clarified — the official earlier said Israel was not aware of enrichment there. The extent of Mojtaba Khamenei's decision-making role remains uncertain, as the official expressed doubt about his authority. The timeline for any potential strike on Iran has not been specified, with the official emphasizing that the decision rests solely with President Trump.
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