Source Recommendations
Organisations and research centres whose work is relevant to understanding Iranian missile capabilities, missile defence systems, and Middle East security dynamics.
Munitions & Ordnance Identification
Open Source Munitions Portal (OSMP)
Expert-verified munitions identification project containing over 1,000 verified images of functioned munitions. Each entry is reviewed by at least two munitions experts before publication. Their Iran War 2026 collection documents verified munition debris found in Israel, Iran, and multiple Middle Eastern states — essential for confirming specific missile and drone variants used in each salvo.
CAT-UXO (Collective Awareness to Unexploded Ordnance)
Repository of explosive ordnance information available as both a web platform and mobile app. Categorises hundreds of unique munition models across 16 categories, enabling EOD professionals, military, police, and NGOs to identify dangerous ordnance in the field. Valuable for cross-referencing Iranian munition debris with known ordnance types.
OSINT & Geolocation
GeoConfirmed
Community-driven geolocation verification platform that maps and verifies the locations of events using open-source imagery and video. Their Iran dataset contains 242 geolocated Iranian military installations including airbases, underground facilities, IRGC sites, missile bases, and naval facilities. Used on this site to cross-reference and corroborate launch site geolocations. Data is available as KMZ/KML for use in Google Earth and GIS platforms.
Missile Defence & Military Capabilities
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA)
Non-profit organisation dedicated to advocacy and education on missile defence. Maintains detailed profiles of missile defence systems worldwide, threat assessments, and an interactive missile threat map. Essential reference for understanding the technical capabilities of systems like Arrow, THAAD, and Aegis.
Deagel.com
Guide to world military equipment, air forces, navies, and armies. Provides country-level data on military capabilities, defence budgets, and equipment inventories. Useful for contextualising the military balance between Iran and Israel and understanding the platforms and systems each side can deploy.
GlobalSecurity.org
Comprehensive military encyclopaedia covering weapons systems, military operations, and defence policy worldwide. Maintains detailed technical profiles of Iranian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs, as well as the defence systems used to counter them. A longstanding open-source reference for military and intelligence analysis.
Conflict Analysis & Strategy
Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Non-partisan research organisation providing detailed analysis of modern armed conflicts and foreign affairs. Publishes daily operational assessments and battlefield mapping. Essential for understanding Iranian strike operations, escalation dynamics, and the broader strategic context of the Iran-Israel conflict.
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV)
London-based research and advocacy organisation that monitors and reports on the global impact of armed violence. Tracks explosive weapon use and civilian harm worldwide. Their data on explosive violence patterns and targeting practices provides context for assessing the humanitarian impact of Iranian strike salvos.
Iran Policy & Security Research
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)
Washington-based policy institute focused on national security and foreign policy. Produces extensive research on Iranian military capabilities, IRGC activities, proxy networks, and sanctions policy. Their Iran programme is one of the most detailed open-source trackers of Iranian defence developments.
Alma Research and Education Center
Israeli research centre specialising in security challenges on Israel's northern borders. Publishes detailed analysis of Hizbullah's missile arsenal, Iranian force-building in Syria and Lebanon, and the "ring of fire" strategy. Key source for understanding the proxy dimension of Iranian operations. Their January 2026 damage assessment documenting 25 IRGC MRBM launch bases with satellite-verified coordinates is a primary source for launch site geolocation on this site's maps.
Israeli National Security
Institute for National Security Studies (INSS)
Tel Aviv University's national security think tank. Publishes strategic assessments on Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, Israeli defence policy, and multi-front conflict scenarios. Their annual strategic survey and situation assessments are essential reading for understanding Israel's security posture.
International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT)
Academic research institute at Reichman University (Herzliya) dedicated to counter-terrorism policy, intelligence analysis, and homeland security. Provides research on IRGC operational doctrine, Hizbullah capabilities, and the evolving nature of state-sponsored asymmetric warfare.
Nuclear & Weapons Proliferation
Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS)
Non-profit research organisation focused on nuclear weapons proliferation and related security issues. Produces detailed technical assessments of Iran's nuclear programme, centrifuge capabilities, and weaponisation potential. Their analysis of Iranian dual-use technology and breakout timelines provides critical context for understanding the strategic motivations behind Iranian strike operations.
Arms Control Association (ACA)
Non-partisan membership organisation dedicated to promoting public understanding of and support for effective arms control policies. Publishes detailed fact sheets on Iran's ballistic missile programme, nuclear negotiations, and missile proliferation. Their Arms Control Today journal provides ongoing analysis of the diplomatic and technical dimensions of Iranian weapons development.
Iran Sanctions & Accountability
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI)
Non-partisan policy organisation advocating for preventive measures against Iran's nuclear weapons programme. Tracks sanctions compliance, Iranian economic activity, and the financial networks supporting Iran's military programmes. Their corporate investigations and shipping tracker provide open-source intelligence on Iranian sanctions evasion relevant to understanding Iran's ability to sustain military operations.
Regional Policy & Geopolitics
Middle East Council on Global Affairs
Independent, non-profit policy research institution based in Doha, Qatar. Publishes research and analysis on regional geopolitics, including Saudi-Iran relations, Red Sea security, and the GCC's response to regional conflicts. Provides a Middle Eastern institutional perspective on the strategic dynamics that shape Iranian-Israeli confrontation.