US can only confirm about third of Iran's missile arsenal destroyed

U.S. intelligence can confirm with certainty that American and Israeli strikes have destroyed only about one-third of Iran’s missile arsenal after nearly one month of war.

The status of another third remains unclear, though officials believe many of those missiles were likely damaged, destroyed or buried deep inside underground tunnels and bunkers. A similar assessment applies to Iran’s drone capability.

This classified evaluation shows Tehran retains a significant remaining inventory and may recover some buried or damaged weapons once fighting ends.

The assessment stands in direct contrast to President Trump’s public claim that Iran has “very few rockets left.” Trump acknowledged the residual threat, warning that even 1 percent is unacceptable because “1% is a missile going into the hull of a ship that cost a billion dollars.”

Despite strikes on more than 10,000 targets, Iran continues launching attacks. On Thursday alone it fired 15 ballistic missiles and 11 drones at the United Arab Emirates and conducted its first long-range strike on the U.S.-UK base at Diego Garcia.

One senior U.S. official voiced skepticism about ever obtaining an accurate count, citing uncertainty over how many missiles were stockpiled underground before the war. “I don’t know if we’ll ever have an accurate number,” the official said.