[Photo] U.S.

U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that Iran still possesses thousands of ballistic missiles and retains the ability to retrieve launchers from underground storage, challenging Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s assertion that the country’s missile program has been “functionally destroyed.”A key factor is that missile launchers are relatively easy to manufacture, enabling Iran to produce them in large quantities within a short period, supporting its claims of being able to sustain a prolonged conflict.