Iran still has between 1,000 and 500,000 and 500 rockets in its arsenal, despite US and Israeli attacks on their military capacities and production facilities, the American Intelligence Community estimates on Saturday. The Wall Street Journal.
According to American officials, this assessment has a low degree of credibility, due to difficulties in determining the exact number of missiles Iran has ready for use or in reserve. However, they estimate that Tehran continues to have a considerable arsenal, which can be used against American targets and their allies in the event of an all-out war resume.
Despite damage to missile production facilities from US and Israeli attacks, Iran has continued reconstruction of the arsenal, though at a slower pace than before the war. According to American officials, this is mainly being done using the components collected earlier. Besides the missiles, Tehran has a large number of short-range drones and rockets.
These assessments conflict with US President Donald Trump’s statements, and his administration officials, who have claimed Iranian military capacities have been destroyed.
Reconstruction of the Iranian arsenal has also become part of discussions within the Trump administration for the possibility of relaunching military attacks in co-ordination with Israel.
Israeli military officials also estimate that Iran has more than 1,000 and 500 ballistic missiles, although figures vary depending on resources and difficulties in determining the exact amount.
Simone Ledeen, former deputy secretary of defence for the Middle East during Trump’s first term, has said that even the lowest estimate of 1,000 and 500 rockets would mean Iran recovered more than half of its pre-war arsenal.
Meanwhile, Iran has also improved the efficiency of its attacks on targets in the Middle East, using more advanced intelligence and targeting data, including assistance from allies like Russia. It has also adapted tactics by combining the use of missiles and drones.
Bilal Saab, senior director of the US geopolitical analysis company Trends US, has stressed that the importance is not only the size of Iranian arsenal, but also the way it is used.
Meanwhile, American allies in the Persian Gulf have asked the Trump administration not to return to war, fearing Iran could target missiles and fear revenge.
President Trump, for the moment, has chosen to continue economic pressure on Tehran through blockade and sanctions instead of ordering widespread military attacks.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing to seek relaunch of military operations against Iran.
On the other hand, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had claimed on Tuesday that Iran’s industrial defence base had been destroyed, claiming also that more than 80 percent of the country’s nuclear industrial base had been damaged.
With each measurement we have achieved a historic military victory, Hegseth had declared.
Source Layer: Dukeagini
