The US has only destroyed about a third of Iran’s missile and drone arsenal after a month of its war against Iran which aimed to degrade the country’s ballistic missile capabilities, according to a report by Reuters.
About a third of Tehran’s missiles have been destroyed, and another third was likely to be damaged or buried in underground tunnels and bunkers, the report suggested. A similar assessment was made about the country’s drone arsenal.
The report, based on five people familiar with US intelligence, suggests that while most of Iran’s missiles are immediately inaccessible, the country still has a sizeable stockpile.
That contradicts Donald Trump’s statement on Thursday that Tehran had “very few rockets left” and statements from other US officials that the war has eliminated its ballistic missile capabilities.
Iranian officials see its ballistic missile programme as a key deterrent, particularly given the vast military superiority of the US and Israel, which is within reach of its arsenal and views it as a direct threat.
Iran has used ballistic missiles and drones to devastating effect over the last month, continuing to pound Israel and key energy and public infrastructure in the Gulf, and inflicting huge damage on the global economy.