Illustrative image.
Iran has already restarted some of its drone production since the ceasefire came into effect last April, CNN reported on May 21, citing United States intelligence assessments.
Four sources told the news channel that U.S. intelligence indicates the Islamic Republic is reconstituting much faster than initially estimated.
The rebuilding of military capabilities, including replacing missile sites, launchers and production capacity for key weapons systems destroyed during the current conflict, means that Iran remains a significant threat to regional allies should President Donald Trump restart the bombing campaign, according to the sources.
One of the sources familiar with the intelligence assessments said that Iran could fully reconstitute its drone attack capability in as soon as six months.
“The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the IC had for reconstitution,” the official said.
Another source noted that Iran has been able to rebuild much faster than expected due to a combination of factors, ranging from support it is receiving from Russia and China to the fact that the U.S. and Israel did not inflict as much damage as the two countries had hoped.
CNN said, citing two of its sources, that China has continued to provide Iran with components during the conflict that can be used to build missiles.
Thousands of Iranian drones still exist — roughly 50% of the country’s drone capabilities — two sources previously told CNN the intelligence indicated.
CNN reported in April that U.S. intelligence assessed that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers had survived, but more recent reports increased that figure to two thirds partially due to the ongoing ceasefire providing Iran with time to dig out launchers trapped in underground sites as a result of U.S. and Israeli strikes.
U.S. intelligence assessments also indicate that a large percentage of Iran’s coastal defense cruise missiles were intact, according to CNN’s latest report.
One of the sources familiar with the assessments told the channel that the damage to Iran’s defense industrial base has likely set its ability to reconstitute back by a matter of months, not years. The same source noted that some of Iran’s defense industrial base remains intact.
The report came amid what seems to be last ditch efforts by Pakistan and several Muslim and Arab states to broker an agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The two sides remain far off on several key issues, however, and Israel is pushing for a new attack on the Islamic Republic.
The last few weeks saw some serious clashes in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, with Iran demonstrating that its military capabilities were not eroded. Thus, CNN’s latest report didn’t come as a surprise.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
