US intelligence flags Pakistan missile programme as potential threat to American homeland

The United States’ top intelligence official has identified Pakistan’s missile programme as a growing threat to the American homeland, according to a newly released assessment, underscoring rising strategic concerns in Washington.

Speaking during the presentation of the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Pakistan was among a small group of states whose advancing weapons capabilities could directly endanger the United States.

“The intelligence community assesses” that Pakistan, alongside countries including China and Russia, North Korea and Iran, is developing missile delivery systems “that put our homeland within range,” she told lawmakers.

Missiles and expanding reach

According to the US intelligence community’s assessment, outlined in the report published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), several countries are pursuing a mix of “advanced” and “traditional” missile technologies capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads.

The report highlights a broader trend which is a sharp increase in the number of missile systems globally that could potentially reach the US in the coming decade.

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Pakistan is specifically cited as part of this evolving threat landscape, with US officials increasingly concerned about the trajectory of its ballistic missile programme. Previous US assessments have warned that Islamabad is working on “increasingly sophisticated missile technology”, including longer-range systems that could eventually strike targets well beyond South Asia.

US threat perception

Gabbard’s remarks place Pakistan alongside major powers such as China and Russia, as well as North Korea and Iran, in the category of the most significant nuclear and missile-related threats to the United States.

While much of Washington’s traditional focus has been on peer competitors like Beijing and Moscow, the inclusion of Pakistan reflects what analysts describe as a widening concern over proliferation and technological advances in missile delivery systems.

The ODNI report frames these developments within a broader security environment in which state adversaries are seeking to enhance their strategic reach, potentially complicating US missile defence planning and deterrence posture.

Senior American officials have previously described it as an “emerging threat”, citing work on long-range ballistic systems and large rocket motors that could extend strike capabilities.

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Islamabad, however, has rejected such characterisations, maintaining that its nuclear and missile capabilities are designed for deterrence and regional stability, particularly in relation to India. Washington-based scholar Shuja Nawaz has stated, while speaking to a local news organisation, that the inclusion of Pakistan in the list of states that pose a threat is a “continuation” of prior US policy.

“This continues the analysis of the Biden administration that placed sanctions on Pakistani entities and tried to curb the acquisition of new technologies,” he said.

US scholar Michael Kugelman stated, “I wouldn’t overstate the significance here. Pakistan wasn’t singled out exclusively; it was called out with other countries.”

Beyond state actors, the US assessment also warns of threats from extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS, indicating that Washington continues to face a complex mix of conventional, nuclear, and asymmetric challenges.

The report concludes that the convergence of these risks — from advanced missile systems to ongoing militant activity — represents a multifaceted threat environment likely to shape US national security priorities in the years ahead.