US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has officially listed Pakistan’s Long-Range Missiles as a significant threat to the United States. She presented the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday. Furthermore, she placed Pakistan alongside Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
Evolving Missile Capabilities: Long-Range Missiles & ICBMs
Gabbard warned lawmakers about Pakistan’s rapidly developing missile technology. Specifically, she stated that Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile development could potentially include Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). Consequently, these advanced delivery systems, carrying conventional or nuclear payloads, might eventually reach the US homeland.
Overall, the intelligence community expects global missile threats to surge. By 2035, the total number of missiles threatening the US homeland will likely jump from 3,000 to over 16,000.
Analysts Push Back on US Claims
However, defense analysts immediately challenged this assessment. Washington-based scholar Shuja Nawaz highlighted that Pakistan’s Shaheen-III missile currently has a range of less than 2,800 kilometers. Moreover, he emphasized that Islamabad designed its nuclear program strictly to deter India.
Therefore, Nawaz argued this report merely continues previous US policy trends aimed at sanctioning Pakistani entities and curbing technology acquisitions. Similarly, US-based scholar Michael Kugelman noted the administration did not exclusively single out Pakistan. Yet, clubbing Islamabad with rogue states remains a notable shift in messaging.
Regional Volatility & Immediate Threats
Beyond state-level missile threats, the DNI report flagged severe regional instability. Currently, South Asia presents enduring security challenges. For instance, India-Pakistan relations carry a persistent risk of nuclear escalation, particularly following the Pahalgam attack that previously triggered a war.
Additionally, intermittent cross-border clashes plague the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with Pakistan’s army chief demanding that the Taliban sever ties with anti-Pakistan militants.
Meanwhile, the report also detailed the ongoing Iran war, dubbed Operation Epic Fury. The Iranian regime remains largely degraded but intact. Furthermore, despite internal US administration resignations and disputes, intelligence officials maintain that Iran and its proxies still pose an immediate, highly capable threat to US and allied interests across the Middle East.
