00:20Iran's ballistic missiles are no longer just conventional weapons.
00:24Are some of them already carry chemical or biological warheads?
00:28That's the alarming warning coming from Brigadier General Amir Avivi, a former senior Israeli
00:36Defense Forces officer.
00:38And according to him, this threat is not theoretical.
00:42Avivi says there is a strong possibility that Iran already has operational ballistic missiles
00:48equipped with chemical or biological payloads.
00:52He argues Iran has been rapidly rebuilding and expanding its missile arsenal following
00:57the 2025 conflict with Israel, sometimes referred to as the 12-day war, and may now be integrating
01:05unconventional warheads into that growing stockpile.
01:08If true, that would dramatically change the strategic balance in the region.
01:13Iran already possesses one of the largest ballistic missile arsenals in the Middle East, reportedly
01:20over 2,000 missiles.
01:22Recent reports suggest production may have surged to hundreds of missiles per month, command
01:28and control systems are being upgraded, payload delivery systems are being optimized.
01:34Israel views this missile force, especially under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary
01:40Guard Corps, as its primary long-term threat.
01:43Iran is a signatory to both the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention.
01:50Tehran denies pursuing offensive chemical or biological weapons.
01:55However, Israeli and some Western assessments have long raised concerns about dual-use facilities,
02:02research centers that can serve civilian purposes but potentially be adapted for weaponization.
02:09If unconventional agents were miniaturized and fitted onto ballistic missiles, the psychological
02:15and strategic impact would be enormous, even if never used.
02:20Tensions have been rising in recent weeks.
02:23Iranian officials have publicly boasted about their missile capabilities.
02:27Meanwhile, Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
02:32has repeatedly warned that Israel will not tolerate existential threats.
02:37Avivi's statement adds urgency to that warning.
02:41He argues that waiting could be dangerous, and that preemptive measures may eventually become
02:46unavoidable if the threat is confirmed.
02:49If ballistic missiles are paired with chemical or biological warheads, deterrence calculations
02:55shift dramatically, missile defense becomes even more critical, and the risk of rapid escalation increases.
03:04Unlike nuclear weapons, chemical and biological agents can be cheaper to produce and harder to detect in advance,
03:12making them a different but still devastating category of threat.
03:16As of now, no independent international body has confirmed operational chemical or biological warheads
03:23on Iranian missiles. Iran denies pursuing such weapons.
03:28Much of the discussion is based on intelligence assessments and public statements.
03:33That means we're operating in a space of warnings, not verified proof.
03:38But in geopolitics, perception alone can drive action.
03:42One thing is certain.
03:44If even the possibility exists that ballistic missiles are carrying chemical or biological payloads,
03:51the stakes in the Middle East just became far more dangerous.
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