▲ Missiles launched by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Recent reports from Western media outlets suggest that in the renewed conflict involving Iran, the country not only maintains sufficient missile stockpiles but has also improved its ability to evade U.S. air defense systems.
While the U.S. continues to conduct airstrikes against Iran and maintains military superiority, analysts note that Iran retains a limited yet persistent capability to launch missile strikes.
The New York Times reported that U.S. government officials reached this assessment following recent Iranian attacks targeting U.S. forces stationed in Jordan.
According to the newspaper, Iran carried out four attacks targeting U.S. troops in Jordan over a five-day period ending July 17, resulting in dozens of U.S. military casualties and damage to several helicopters.
In particular, an attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Azraq, Jordan, on July 17 left two U.S. service members dead, one missing, and four others injured.
In an analytical piece, the British newspaper The Guardian cited leaked U.S. intelligence assessments to point out that Iran's missile strike capabilities remain intact.
According to the assessment, as of May of this year, Iran had retained approximately 70 percent of its pre-war missile stockpiles and launchers, and had restored 30 out of 33 missile launch sites in the Strait of Hormuz region.
This suggests that despite 38 days of bombardment by the U.S. and Israel beginning with airstrikes on February 28, they failed to neutralize Iran's missile strike capabilities.
The Guardian noted that while the entrances to Iran's underground missile bases may have been temporarily blocked by debris from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Iran had sufficient time to clear the debris during a ceasefire in late spring.
On July 17, Iran launched missile attacks against U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf region, including Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. In Kuwait, the attacks caused fires at critical infrastructure, including power and desalination plants.
The New York Times pointed out that the strategic importance of Jordan in U.S. air operations in the Middle East is growing, as some regional allies such as Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar have begun to restrict U.S. military presence or the use of their airspace.
The newspaper quoted retired Air Force Lieutenant General David Deptula, who said, "The attack on July 17 (at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base) was not just an attack on one base." He added, "It was an attack on the U.S. regional coalition, and an attempt to make the political cost of allowing U.S. military presence outweigh the security benefits."
Lieutenant General Deptula played a key role in planning air combat operations during the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
(Photo: Screen capture from video released by SEPAHNEWS.COM, Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.