Iran Missile Launchers Still Remain Intact – US Intelligence
A fresh U.S. intelligence assessment suggests Iran still retains a significant part of its missile and drone capability despite weeks of American and Israeli strikes. The finding appears to challenge earlier public claims from Washington that Tehran’s offensive capacity had been largely broken.
Iran Missile Launchers Still Operational
According to the assessment, around half of Iran’s missile launchers are still operational or can be restored for use. The report indicates that some systems may be damaged, buried or temporarily inaccessible rather than fully destroyed. This means Iran may still be able to sustain missile fire across the region even after extensive bombing of military targets.
Iran Drone Arsenal Remains A Threat
The same assessment says thousands of one-way attack drones remain in Iran’s arsenal, accounting for roughly half of its original stock. Cruise missile capability linked to coastal defence is also believed to remain available. That matters because such systems can still threaten military assets and shipping routes, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions remain high.
Tunnel Networks Reduce Strike Impact
A major reason for Iran’s continued survivability appears to be its underground tunnel network and mobile launch systems. These allow missile launchers and drones to be hidden, moved and redeployed quickly after attacks. While the U.S. military campaign has hit thousands of targets and degraded parts of Iran’s command and strike structure, the intelligence suggests Tehran has not lost its ability to inflict damage across the wider region.
US Claims And Intelligence Diverge
The assessment stands in contrast to public statements from President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials, who have said Iran’s missile and drone threat has been sharply reduced. The gap between battlefield intelligence and political messaging is likely to intensify scrutiny over how much of Iran’s military power has actually been eliminated.
