
Middle East Missile Mania: It’s Not Just Iran
One might be forgiven for solely focusing on Iran’s missiles. And yet, Iran’s missile program does not exist in a vacuum.
Country Spotlight
Large-scale chemical weapons use has exacerbated the brutal Syrian Civil War (2011-present). Although Syria signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2013 and cooperated in the destruction of its CW, the Syrian regime has continued to use chemical weapons, including in attacks against civilians.
Region Middle East and North Africa
349 Confirmed chemical weapon attacks since 2012
74 Alleged chemical weapons attacks investigated by the OPCW’s Fact Finding Mission
96% Of chemical weapons stockpile reportedly destroyed under Assad regime
2007 Israeli raid destroyed undeclared nuclear reactor
One might be forgiven for solely focusing on Iran’s missiles. And yet, Iran’s missile program does not exist in a vacuum.
Education Center
“Ninety-Six Percent of Syria’s Declared Chemical Weapons Destroyed – UN-OPCW Mission Chief,” UN News, September 4, 2014, https://news.un.org.
Tobias Schneider and Theresa Lutkefend, “Nowhere to Hide: The Logic of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria,” Global Public Policy Institute, May 2020, www.gppi.net.
“Arms Control and Proliferation Profile: Syria,” Arms Control Association, accessed April 16, 2021, www.armscontrol.org.
Anthony H. Cordesman, “The Israeli Nuclear Reactor Strike and Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Background Analysis,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, 24 October 2007, csis.org.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, “Decision: Combined plan for the destruction and verification of the ‘al-Maliha’ ricin production facility in the Syrian Arab Republic,” Executive Council, 19 November 2014, opcw.org.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, “OPCW Fact-Finding Mission concludes investigation on reported allegations in Qalib al-Thawr and al-Balil, Syria,” OPCW News, 11 June 2024, opcw.org.
“Israel Says 90 Pct of Syria’s Ballistic Missiles Used Up on Rebels,” Reuters, 18 November 2015, reuters.com.
“Israel says its air strikes destroyed most of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles,” Reuters, 10 December 2024, reuters.com.
“Syria Still Has Chemical Weapons,” Foreign Affairs, 19 December 2024, foreignaffairs.com.
Karen DeYoung, “Russian Air Defense Raises Stakes of U.S. Confrontation in Syria,” The Washington Post, 17 October 2016, washingtonpost.com.
Magnus Normark, Anders Lindblad, Anders Norqvist, Björn Sandström, and Louise Waldenström, “Syria and WMD: Incentives and Capabilities,” (Umeå: FOI – Swedish Defence Research Agency, 2004) p. 35.
Colum Lynch and David Kenner, “U.S. and Europe Say Assad May Have Kept Some Chemical Weapons,” Foreign Policy, 23 August 2016, foreignpolicy.com.
“‘Reasonable Grounds’ to Believe Syrian Military Helicopter Deployed Chemical Weapon: OPCW,” UN News, April 12, 2021, https://news.un.org.