Iran's Missile Strategy: Psychological Warfare Against Israeli Civilians

The report said that Iran's use of cluster munitions in its attacks on Israel reflected its inability to threaten the latter's military targets, and hence resorted to inflict psychological effects.

"Iran may be attempting to maximize the effects of its limited capacity to launch large missile salvos at Israel by launching small missile salvos throughout the day to impose psychological effects on Israeli civilians by consistently forcing them to take shelter and keeping the country under constant alert. Iran is spreading out its launches throughout the day, often pausing for several hours between launches. Spreading out ballistic missile launches over a long period of time presumably increases the number of times per day that Israeli civilians must seek shelter," the analysis said.

"Such a strategy is suboptimal and likely reflects the US-Israeli combined force's degradation of Iran's ability to launch large-scale missile attacks. The combined force's degradation of Iran's missile capabilities has prevented Iran from consistently launching large-scale missile attacks against Israel during the current conflict, however. Iran has increasingly used cluster munitions in its attacks on Israel during the war, which likely reflects Iran's inability to meaningfully threaten discrete military targets in Israel and efforts to inflict psychological effects on Israeli civilians," it added.

Ukraine and Saudi Arabia concluded a defense cooperation agreement on March 27. The Ukrainian Presidential Office reported that Ukraine will help Saudi Arabia with air defenses under the agreement, which also outlines the foundations for further contacts and includes technological cooperation and investments, the statement further said.

The report noted that the combined force has continued to disrupt Iran's ability to launch missile attacks, including by disrupting Iranian efforts to regain access to missile launchers in underground bases. US Central Command (CENTCOM) published footage on March 27 showing that it struck bulldozers and loaders that Iran was likely using to try to clear debris and reopen tunnel entrances to underground facilities.

The IDF struck Iranian nuclear infrastructure on March 27, including sites involved in plutonium production and the uranium fuel cycle. The IDF struck the Arak Heavy Water Production Facility in Arak, Markazi Province, following repeated Iranian attempts to restore the site following IDF strikes on the site during the June 2025 Israel-Iran War. The IDF also struck the Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant in Yazd Province, the research study said.

- ANI