Saudi Arabia reportedly expands facility for larger missiles

Researchers Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman at the Foreign Policy Research Institute analyzed commercial satellite imagery of Saudi Arabia's al-Duwadimi missile complex from April 2025 through September 2026 and concluded the kingdom is expanding infrastructure likely to produce larger solid-fuel missiles with greater range or payloads. Construction of a new building at least twice the size of an existing facility began in April 2025; images showed casting pits and protective walls, with the roof still incomplete in September 2026 and production possibly starting by late 2026 once equipment is installed. Lair and Duitsman wrote that the imagery suggests expansion for larger missiles. Sascha Bruchmann said such systems could threaten targets important to Tehran without risking aircraft and help close Iran's strike lead. Decker Eveleth said the same missile-industrial pattern is appearing in the UAE and Turkey. Janes assessed the work may expand production capability or support longer-range missiles. Researchers linked the site to Chinese designs after earlier DF-3 purchases and DF-15 wreckage in Yemen; DF-15 or DF-21 variants are suspected but unconfirmed. Sources do not disagree on the imagery findings or timeline. Unresolved points include exact missile types, whether production has started, and how the expansion interacts with the July 22 U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement after Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 statement that Saudi Arabia would seek nuclear weapons if Iran did.