Despite extensive airstrikes by the United States and Israel, Iran has managed to retain a significant portion of its missile capabilities. Recent attacks on U.S. and allied forces in the Middle East have raised concerns about underestimating Iran's retaliatory capabilities.
The Guardian reported, citing leaked U.S. intelligence assessments, that as of May, Iran maintained approximately 70% of its pre-war missile stockpiles and launchers. Of the 33 missile launch sites around the Strait of Hormuz, 30 are reportedly still operational.
From February 28 to April 6, the U.S. and Israel focused their attacks on Iranian missile facilities and launchers. However, many underground facilities were not completely destroyed. Recovery efforts during the ceasefire period have also hindered the weakening of Iran's offensive capabilities.
Recently, U.S. military casualties have occurred due to Iranian attacks. The U.S. Central Command reported that on July 17, two American service members were killed and one went missing while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes in Jordan.
Iran is expanding its attack range beyond Jordan to include U.S. military presence in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Following the attacks in Kuwait, fires broke out at key infrastructure sites, including power and desalination facilities.
While the U.S. maintains military superiority, analysts suggest that eliminating Iran's missile attack capabilities in the short term is challenging. Iran's ability to continue limited-scale attacks indicates that the U.S. may find it difficult to conclude the conflict solely through airstrikes.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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