US intel shows Iran retains missile capabilities despite Trump's claims

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Iran has restored access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, undermining President Trump’s repeated assertions that Iran’s military was severely weakened. Classified assessments from early this month indicate Iran can use mobile launchers within these sites to reposition missiles or fire directly from launchpads, with only three sites remaining inaccessible. The assessments also show Iran retains about 70% of its mobile launchers and 70% of its prewar missile stockpile, including ballistic and cruise missiles. Satellite imagery and surveillance confirm Iran has regained access to roughly 90% of its underground missile storage and launch facilities nationwide, which are now deemed ‘partially or fully operational.’ These findings contradict Trump’s March 9 statement to CBS News, where he claimed Iran’s ‘missiles are down to a scatter’ and the country had ‘nothing left in a military sense.’ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth similarly declared in April that Operation Epic Fury—a joint U.S.-Israel campaign—had ‘decimated’ Iran’s military, rendering it ‘combat-ineffective for years.’ A White House spokeswoman, Olivia Wales, dismissed the intelligence, repeating Trump’s claim that Iran’s military was ‘crushed’ and calling suggestions of Iran’s military recovery ‘delusional.’ Joel Valdez, acting Pentagon press secretary, criticized media coverage, accusing outlets like *The New York Times* of acting as ‘public relations agents’ for Iran. The assessments, dated less than a month after Hegseth’s remarks, indicate Iran’s military resilience persists despite U.S. strikes, raising questions about the effectiveness of the campaign against its missile capabilities.