IDF says Tehran still has hundreds of launchers and 1,000 missiles, many of which are ‘plugged’ underground but not destroyed, as Tehran looks to rebuild weapons stockpile.
For six weeks, the United States and Israel pummeled Iran’s military infrastructure — with US Central Command saying it had struck over 13,000 targets, and Israel reporting some 4,000 of its own. Yet even in the final days before a two-week ceasefire was announced, ballistic missiles continued to be launched at Israel and other states in the region.
While Tehran’s rate of launches dropped sharply as the war progressed — from roughly 80 missiles fired at Israel on the first day to around 10-20 per day over the following weeks — the sustained attacks have raised questions about the extent of the damage inflicted in both the most recent war and an initial round of fighting in June.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently told reporters that the US-Israel bombing campaign had “functionally destroyed” Iran’s missile program and rendered its military “combat ineffective for years to come.” Yet the IDF says over the roughly six weeks of fighting, it managed to set back Iran’s missile project only partially, owing in part to the hardened nature of underground facilities, while slowing, but not significantly halting, the buildup of the Islamic Republic’s stockpile.
With ceasefire talks between the US and Iran set to resume Tuesday, Israel is concerned that the ballistic missile issue is not being included in the talks and that the sides may come to an agreement that allows Iran to continue building up its missile program, Army Radio reported Monday, citing a senior Israeli source. Speaking to Reuters Monday, a senior Iranian source said Tehran’s “defensive capabilities,” including its missile program, were not open to negotiation with the United States. (Read More)
