WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The United States can only confirm with certainty the destruction of about a third of Iran's vast missile arsenal as the U.S. and Israeli war against Tehran approaches a month, according to five sources familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments.
The status of another third of the arsenal is less clear, but the bombing likely damaged, destroyed or buried the missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, four of the sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.
One of the sources said that a similar assessment exists for Iran's drone capacity, adding that there is a certain level of certainty that about a third of them have been destroyed.
This assessment, which had not been previously reported, shows that although most of Iran's missiles have been destroyed or are not currently usable, Tehran still possesses a significant missile inventory and could recover some of the damaged or buried missiles once the fighting ends.
The intelligence data contrasts with public statements by US President Donald Trump, who said on Thursday that Iran has “very few missiles” left. However, he also acknowledged the risk that the remaining missiles and drones pose to any future US operation to protect the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Reuters reported earlier that Trump is considering escalating the conflict by deploying US troops to the Iranian coast along the strait.
"The problem with the Strait is this: let's say we do a great job and say we've destroyed 99% of their missiles. Even 1% is unacceptable, because 1% could be a missile hitting the hull of a billion-dollar ship," Trump said during a televised cabinet meeting.
Asked for comment, a Pentagon official said Iranian missile and drone attacks have dropped by about 90% since the start of the war. According to him, the US military's Central Command has damaged or destroyed more than 66% of Iranian missile, drone and naval production facilities.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran who served four tours in Iraq, disputed Trump's claims about the impact of the war on the Iranian arsenal.
"If Iran is smart, it has preserved some of its capabilities — it's not using everything it has. They may be waiting for the right moment," Moulton said.
