Panel Warns of Missile Threat

Challenging official intelligence estimates, a panel appointed by Congress reported Wednesday that Iran and North Korea could develop weapons capable of striking U.S. territory sooner than government analysts have predicted and with little or no warning.

The nine-member panel said Iran and North Korea would be able to inflict “major destruction within about five years of a decision to acquire” long-range missile capability.

U.S. intelligence agencies have maintained that a long-range missile threat from potential Third World adversaries is unlikely to emerge before 2010, except possibly from North Korea, and would probably be detected well in advance.

The panel’s public report did not spell out how close North Korea and Iran might be to fielding such missiles.