Washington, March 20 (IANS) As US intelligence officials laid out a stark assessment of rising global threats, a congressional hearing revealed a deeper fracture in Washington — over whether the war with Iran was driven by evidence or political judgment.

Top intelligence officials told lawmakers that the United States faces a “complex and evolving threat landscape” spanning missile proliferation, cyber warfare, terrorism and organised crime.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said adversarial nations are advancing capabilities that could directly threaten the US homeland. The intelligence community assesses that threats could expand “to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035” from the current level of more than 3,000.

She said China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems capable of penetrating US missile defences, while North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles can already reach American territory. Pakistan’s missile programme could evolve into capabilities capable of striking the US, and Iran has demonstrated technologies that could support future long-range missile development.

Cyber threats are also intensifying. Gabbard said China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and non-state actors continue to target US government and private sector networks, as well as critical infrastructure. The growing use of artificial intelligence is accelerating both the scale and speed of cyber operations.

“Financially or ideologically motivated non-state actors are becoming more bold,” she said, noting that ransomware groups are shifting to faster, high-volume attacks that are harder to detect.

Islamist groups remain a persistent danger, she said. While al-Qaida and ISIS are weaker than at their peak, their ideology continues to spread globally and inspire attacks, she noted. In 2025, there were at least three Islamist terrorist attacks in the United States, and law enforcement disrupted at least 15 plots, she told the lawmakers.

Gabbard also highlighted the role of transnational criminal organisations, particularly drug cartels, which she said pose a “daily and direct threat” to Americans through trafficking of fentanyl and other narcotics.

But the hearing quickly shifted to the ongoing conflict with Iran, exposing deep political divisions.

Committee Chairman Rick Crawford defended President Donald Trump’s decision to launch military action, saying diplomacy had failed and warning that “Iran is committed to acquiring nuclear weapons.”

He said the president “made a difficult but necessary decision” in response to a long-standing threat.

Democrats strongly pushed back. Ranking member Jim Himes said intelligence did not support claims that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.

“The president has said that Iran was preparing an imminent attack on the United States. That is not true,” Himes said. “Not one of your agencies has produced a single report saying that Iran posed an imminent threat.”

The dispute over what constitutes an “imminent threat” became central to the hearing. Gabbard said the intelligence community provides assessments but does not make that determination.

“The president… is responsible for what is an imminent threat,” she said, based on the “totality of information and intelligence.”

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said intelligence indicated that in the event of a conflict between Iran and Israel, the United States would likely face immediate attacks, though he declined to elaborate in open session.

Lawmakers also raised concerns about election security, foreign influence, and the omission of such threats from the unclassified assessment. Gabbard said there are “multiple platforms and venues” where intelligence on election threats is reported.

The hearing underscored the breadth of global risks outlined by intelligence agencies, from geopolitical competition with China and Russia to instability in regions such as the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

The Annual Threat Assessment is presented to Congress each year to inform policymakers about the most pressing national security challenges facing the United States.

Officials said the current environment is marked by overlapping threats across military, technological and ideological domains, requiring sustained vigilance and coordination across the intelligence community.

--IANS

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