US 'Only Certain Of Having Destroyed A Third' Of Iran's Missiles

US 'Only Certain Of Having Destroyed A Third' Of Iran's Missiles

Via Middle East Eye

The US is only certain it has destroyed around a third of Iran's missiles, despite comments from President Donald Trump boasting of military success. According to five people familiar with the US intelligence who spoke to Reuters, the status of around another third is less clear. However, US-Israeli strikes have likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers. 

Iran's drone capability has also likely been reduced by a third, another source said. The assessment, which comes one month after the beginning of the US-Israeli assault on Iran, suggests Tehran still retains substantial missile capability and its ability to retaliate is far from eliminated. At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump said - while discussing options to open the Straits of Hormuz - that 99 percent of Iran's missiles had been destroyed.
via Reuters

"The problem with the straits is this: let's say we do a great job. We say we got 99 percent [of its missiles]. 1 percent is unacceptable, because 1 percent is a missile going into the hull of a ship that cost a billion dollars," he said.

US Central Command has so far declined to specify how much of Iran's missile or drone capability has been destroyed in its attacks. According to Israeli military officials, Iran had 2,500 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel prior to the war.

So far, over 335 missile launchers have been "neutralized", representing 70 percent of Iran's launch capacity, a senior Israeli military official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, officials have warned that the US and Israel are "burning through" their supply of Tomahawk and interceptor missiles.

According to officials speaking to The Washington Post, the US has fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in the four weeks of its war with Iran.

Only a few hundred of the cruise missiles are manufactured each year. While the Pentagon does not publicly disclose its stockpile, one official told the news outlet the number of Tomahawks left in the Middle East is “alarmingly low”.

Despite dwindling resources, a report by Axios on Thursday said the US Department of Defense was drafting plans for a “final blow” against Iran that includes ground troops and a massive bombing campaign. The first is invading or blockading Kharg Island, from which Iran exports roughly 90 percent of its oil. The US could also seize Larak, a small island next to Iran’s heavily fortified Qeshm Island. Iran has redirected vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to Larak, reportedly for security screening.

Signs Iran may be holding its best missiles in reserve.
FT: Highest-tech missiles not yet used, “possibly because they have been destroyed, possibly because they are not yet operational, or possibly because they will only be used when adversaries run short of interceptors.”👇 https://t.co/gIgu8DRAnf
— Rosemary Kelanic (@RKelanic) March 27, 2026
The US is also weighing the seizure of Abu Musa and two smaller islands. The former shah of Iran occupied Abu Musa in 1971, days before the establishment of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi stakes a claim to Abu Musa and two other islands close by: Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb. In addition, the US has considered seizing ships exporting Iranian oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Tyler Durden
Sat, 03/28/2026 - 15:10