Iran Regained Access To 90% Of Underground Missile Sites

File image.

Iran has regained access to most of its underground missile sites, The New York Times reported on March 12, citing classified assessments from the United States intelligence.

The report came out more than a month into the ceasefire between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. Efforts led by Pakistan to permanently end the war are yet to produce any meaningful result, and a return to fighting seems more likely by the day.

According to the latest report, there is evidence that Iran has restored operational access to 30 of the 33 missile sites it maintains along the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategic waterway — responsible for around 20 percent of global oil and liquified natural gas shipments — has remained under de facto Iranian control since the start of the American-Israeli war, and these sites could threaten American warships and oil tankers transiting it.

People with knowledge of the assessments told The New York Times that the Iranians can use mobile launchers that are inside the sites to move missiles to other locations. In some cases they can launch missiles directly from launchpads that are part of the sites.

Only three of these missile sites along the waterway remain totally inaccessible, according to U.S. intelligence assessments.

The assessments also indicate that Iran still fields about 70 percent of its mobile launchers across the country and has retained roughly 70 percent of its prewar missile stockpile — including both ballistic and cruise missiles.

Intelligence agencies also assessed, based on information from multiple collection streams including satellite imagery and other surveillance technologies, that Iran has regained access to roughly 90 percent of its underground missile storage and launch facilities nationwide.

These sites are now assessed to be “partially or fully operational,” the people with knowledge of the assessments told The New York Times.

Since the start of the ceasefire, there have been multiple reports of Iran digging up missiles and launchers from underground sites.

All of these reports goes directly against the claims made by the U.S. and Israel shortly after the start of the war on Iran. The militaries of both countries suggested that most of the Islamic Republic’s missiles and launchers were effectively wiped out.

It is important to note, however, that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did confirm shortly after the start of the ceasefire that Iran was digging up some of its stockpiles.

In addition to ongoing efforts to regain access to existing underground sites, since the start of the ceasefire there have been several reports of Iran receiving brand new weapons, specifically air defense systems. U.S. President Donald Trump himself confirmed this recently, vowing to wipe out the weapons if war resumes.

Iran is clearly gearing up for war, and for a good reason. The Islamic Republic was attacked more than once before amid talks with the U.S. Based on this, it has no reason to trust the Trump administration.

And even if some understanding was eventually reached with the U.S., Israel could still attack in order to reignite the war.

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