Iran has 1,500-2,500 missiles despite US claims of ‘decimated’ arsenal: Report

The US intelligence assessment estimates that Iran currently possesses between 1,500 and 2,500 missiles, indicating that Tehran still maintains a significant capability to target American and allied forces in the event of a full-scale war resuming. US officials from the Wall Street Journal acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding the exact count of missiles ready for launch or stored away, but they still regard Iran's stockpile as formidable.

Although US and Israeli strikes damaged Iran's missile-production facilities, Tehran has persisted in rebuilding its arsenal, primarily utilizing stored components. However, this process has been slower compared to the pre-war period, according to officials. Iran also maintains a large number of drones and short-range missiles. The assessment contradicts statements from US administration officials, including former President Donald Trump, who had claimed Iran's military capabilities had been decimated.

Israeli military officials echo the US assessment, estimating Iran possesses over 1,500 ballistic missiles, though assessments vary across the region due to the difficulty in precisely determining the size of Iran's stockpile. Despite the varying estimates, even the lower figure of 1,500 missiles would represent Iran having replenished over half of its estimated pre-war stockpile.

The Iranian military has continued to employ ballistic missiles, drones, and enhanced tactics to inflict damage on US military installations, radar systems, and early-warning facilities across the Middle East, prompting the relocation of several US military assets to Israel for safety, according to US and Israeli officials. Iran has also reportedly improved the effectiveness of its attacks through upgraded intelligence and targeting data, often with assistance from allies like Russia, and by combining missiles and drones in its operations.

Experts highlight the difficulty in precisely estimating Iran's arsenal size due to Tehran's secretive nature, the involvement of multiple missile producers, and uncertainty regarding the number of missiles that can be assembled from components stored underground. Pre-war estimates of Iran's stockpile are also unclear. In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran retained thousands of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, which had been salvaged from underground facilities but later regained access to by digging them out, with some missiles potentially surviving intact.

In September, the Journal noted that Iran had resumed ballistic missile production using finished components held in stockpiles. An Israeli military official stated that Iran was rebuilding its arsenal and preparing for another large-scale conflict.