China, Pakistan developing missiles that could reach US, intel chief warns
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Tulsi Gabbard, the US Director of National Intelligence, warned lawmakers that several countries, including China and Pakistan, are developing missile systems capable of putting the United States within range.
Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard said Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan remain the most significant nuclear threats to the US.
“The intelligence community assesses that these countries have been researching and developing an array of missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range,” she said.
Gabbard noted that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems designed to bypass US missile defences. She added that North Korea already possesses intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching US territory and continues to expand its nuclear arsenal.
On Pakistan, Gabbard said its long-range ballistic missile programme could potentially include intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States.
She also highlighted growing strategic alignment between North Korea, China, and Russia, warning that the deepening ties could have serious implications for global security.
The intelligence chief said the number of missiles capable of reaching the United States is projected to rise sharply from about 3,000 in 2025 to 16,000 by 2035.
Gabbard also identified extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS as continuing threats to US interests, with active presence across parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
On Iran, she said the country had not attempted to rebuild its uranium enrichment capabilities following the June 2025 US-Israeli strikes, contradicting earlier statements by US President Donald Trump.
Gabbard said the strikes, referred to as Operation Midnight Hammer, had “obliterated” Iran’s enrichment programme, and there had been no effort since to restore it.
Her testimony came amid ongoing tensions over the Iran conflict and follows the resignation of Joseph Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, over the war.