How depleted is Iran's arsenal as a consequence of the war with the United States and Israel? If full-fledged fighting engulfs the region again, will the Islamic Republic find it hard to keep fighting? According to a recent report, they will not!
Tehran still maintains around 70% of its mobile missile launchers in operational condition, while 90% of its underground missile facilities remain at least partially operational.
ALSO READ | Why Iranian missiles destroying THAAD radars are a blow to Donald Trump
The estimates cannot be ruled out as deflated claims by a war-ravaged regime, claimed The New York Times, which credited the findings to United States military intelligence itself. Making things worse for Donald Trump, the report further stated that, when compared to its pre-war stockpile, 70% of its arsenal remains intact.
Things are not looking bright for the US Navy in particular, as Iran has around 30 active missile launchpads along the Strait of Hormuz, the report said.
US military intelligence has informed US Centcom and the Pentagon that Iran still retains thousands of short-range ballistic missiles and has the ability to reactivate its launchers. This contradicts what Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump had stated after claiming absolute aerial superiority over the skies of Tehran. "Depleted" and "decimated" were among the words that were repeatedly used by the allies while talking about the damage their troops caused over the course of the fighting.
Hopes for a peace deal with Iran dwindled on Tuesday after Donald Trump said a ceasefire was "on life support", as Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and stuck to a list of demands the U.S. President described as "garbage".
ALSO READ | In a first, Israel used Iron Dome on foreign soil to protect UAE from Iranian missiles
Iran has called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, where U.S. ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Tehran also emphasised its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and demanded compensation for war damage and an end to the U.S. naval blockade, among other conditions.