About half of Iran's ballistic missile launchers remain intact - report
According to CNN, US intelligence assessments indicate thousands of UAVs remain in the hands of the Iranian regime, including "missile cities" that remain buried under rubble from attacks
About half of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers remain intact, along with thousands of UAVs, despite more than a month of joint US and Israeli military operations, according to a CNN report published overnight Friday citing three sources familiar with US intelligence assessments.
One source told the outlet that Iran is “still well prepared to wreak complete havoc throughout the region.” The report noted that some of the remaining launchers may be inaccessible, including those stored in underground “missile cities” that were not struck during the campaign.
According to two of the sources, US intelligence estimates that roughly 50 percent of Iran’s UAV capabilities are still intact. A significant portion of the country’s coastal defense cruise missiles also remains untouched, consistent with the US military’s limited focus on coastal assets during the operation.
The report comes as questions persist over the extent of damage to Iran’s long-range missile capabilities. Intercontinental missile systems, considered a key target of the campaign, have not been fully neutralized. These capabilities were demonstrated recently with a launch toward Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, a distance of approximately 4,000 kilometers. The missiles, believed to be of the Khorramshahr type, are assessed to have the range to reach much of Europe.
The findings highlight the continued threat posed by Iran’s strategic weapons arsenal, even after sustained military strikes. They also underscore the complexity of targeting hardened and dispersed systems, particularly those located underground or outside primary strike zones.
The report follows comments earlier this week by US President Donald Trump, who said he intends to withdraw American forces from Iran “very soon — within two to three weeks.” Trump said the campaign had improved US security, adding that “the citizens of the United States now feel safer.”