Iran's 'missile city' and vast arsenal 'challenges' Trump's victory claims
Iran’s Qeshm Island hosts a vast underground network of missile bunkers and air-raid shelters, described as a 'mighty arsenal,' which security experts say undermines U.S. claims of neutralizing Iran’s military capabilities. Retired military analysts and U.S. officials’ statements, including claims of 'decimating' Iran’s forces, are challenged by evidence that 90% of Iran’s missile stocks and 75% of its mobile launchers remain operational along the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Qeshm Island, spanning 558 square miles at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, has been repurposed into a fortified 'missile city' with extensive underground tunnels housing rockets, bunkers, and air-raid shelters. Military experts, including retired Lebanese Brigadier-General Hassan Jouni, confirm the island’s role as a hub for Iran’s striking capabilities, designed to protect its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and missiles from a potential U.S. ground invasion. Security analyst Professor Anthony Glees compared Iran’s tunnel networks to those used by Hamas in Gaza, suggesting the U.S. may have underestimated their significance. He noted that Iran’s assets, including Qeshm, directly contradict U.S. claims of victory in the conflict, particularly after a March 7 U.S. airstrike on a desalination facility that Iran called a 'flagrant crime' against civilians. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously stated that 'Operation Epic Fury' had 'decimated' Iran’s military, rendering it combat ineffective for years. However, Glees argued the term 'decimated' was misused—it means 'one tenth,' not 'obliterated.' He claimed Iran retains 30 of 33 missile firing sites along the Strait of Hormuz, with 75% of mobile launchers and 90% of underground missile stocks undamaged. Recent explosions on Qeshm, reported by local media as neutralized unexploded ordnance, further highlight the island’s strategic importance. Iran’s ability to maintain its arsenal despite U.S. strikes challenges claims of diminished military capacity, raising concerns about regional stability and the potential for escalation. Experts warn that Iran’s fortified positions, including its control over the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global chokepoint—pose a significant obstacle to U.S. military objectives. The ongoing tensions underscore the complexity of countering Iran’s defensive infrastructure, which remains largely intact despite repeated assertions of U.S. success.
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