US assessments have cast doubt on White House claims that Iranian military capability has been effectively destroyed, suggesting Tehran retains substantial offensive capacity despite recent joint strikes.
President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously described the campaign—dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” as a decisive success, saying it had left Iran’s armed forces incapable of sustained combat.
But according to intelligence cited by CBS News, Iran continues to hold a significant stockpile of missiles and one-way attack drones capable of targeting US forces and allied positions across the Middle East.
A senior Marine Corps intelligence officer was quoted as saying Iran still retains “thousands of missiles and one-way attack UAVs that can threaten US and partner forces throughout the region,” despite acknowledged damage to its wider military infrastructure.
He wrote: “Iran retains thousands of missiles and one-way attack UAVs that can threaten U.S. and partner forces throughout the region, despite degradations to its capabilities from both attrition and expenditure.”
The report suggests that while US-Israeli strikes degraded parts of Iran’s capabilities, particularly fixed installations, core asymmetric forces remain largely intact.
In particular, officials estimate around 60 per cent of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ naval assets—including fast-attack boats used for swarming tactics in the Gulf—are still operational. That force continues to present a risk to shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies.
Tensions in the waterway have already escalated in recent days, with reports of Iranian gunboats engaging commercial vessels shortly after Washington announced an extension to a ceasefire framework aimed at stabilising the region.
Air capabilities have also not been fully neutralised. US officials reportedly assess that roughly two-thirds of Iran’s air assets remain functional, despite extensive strikes on infrastructure, storage sites and production facilities.
The Defence Intelligence Agency has separately told congressional committees that Iran retains the
ability to inflict significant regional damage, particularly through missile and drone salvos rather than conventional air power.
The intelligence divergence comes amid continued instability in the Gulf. Tehran has rejected the extension of the ceasefire announced by Mr Trump, insisting it will act solely in line with its own security interests.
There have also been reports of further maritime seizures and retaliatory actions in Asian waters, underlining the fragility of the current pause in hostilities.
While Washington maintains that its campaign significantly weakened Iran’s military infrastructure, the latest assessments point to a more limited strategic outcome: degradation, but not disarmament.
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