A significant number of Iran's underground missile bases that came under intensive attack by the United States and Israel have been restored, according to a new report.
CNN reported on Sunday, based on its own satellite imagery analysis, that 50 of 69 tunnel entrances at Iran's underground missile facilities have been reopened.
During the war, the U.S. and Israel sought to neutralize Iran's long-range missile capabilities by bombing roads leading to underground bases and burying tunnel entrances. Since the ceasefire, however, Iran has mobilized heavy equipment to expedite restoration work, and many of the facilities appear to have regained their functionality.
According to the satellite images, four of five entrances connecting to underground facilities have been reopened at one missile base in Dezful. Buried tunnel entrances have also been restored at bases near Isfahan and Khomein, and most of the roads damaged by the bombings have been repaired.
Experts said the restoration work highlights the limitations of the U.S. airstrike strategy.
"Iran still maintains a sufficient missile stockpile," said Sam Lair, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. "As long as launchers and operating personnel are secured, they can continue to launch missiles even if production is halted."
While the U.S. and Israel struck not only missile bases but also extensive supply chains including production facilities, experts estimate that Iran still stores up to 1,000 missiles in underground facilities.
U.S. intelligence authorities recently assessed that Iran is resuming drone production and restoring its missile launchers and production capacity.
