Iran still far from running out of missiles
Why it matters: Iran retains significant missile power, posing an enduring threat to regional stability and US interests despite ongoing military action.
- US intelligence sources indicate only about a third of Iran's missile arsenal is confirmed destroyed, with another third's status unclear but likely damaged, contradicting President Trump's optimistic public statements.
- President Trump publicly stated Iran had "very few rockets left" but also acknowledged the unacceptable risk posed by even a small percentage of remaining missiles to US naval assets in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran, disputed Trump's claims, suggesting Iran has likely retained significant capabilities and is "laying in wait."
- Central Command reports that its "Epic Fury" operation is on schedule, having hit over 10,000 Iranian military targets and sunk 92% of Iran's large naval vessels, yet this doesn't fully account for the missile threat.
Despite nearly a month of US and Israeli strikes, intelligence suggests only about a third of Iran's vast missile arsenal has been definitively destroyed, with another third likely damaged or buried, leaving Tehran with a significant, potentially recoverable, remaining capability. This assessment directly contradicts President Trump's public claims of Iran having "very few rockets left" and highlights the persistent threat to US operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
