Posted on 03/27/2026 8:12:06 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran’s vast missile arsenal as the US-Israeli war on the country nears its one-month mark, five people familiar with the US intelligence tell Reuters.
The status of around another third is less clear but bombings likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, four of the sources say. The sources speak on condition of anonymity given the sensitive nature of the information.
One of the sources says the intelligence was similar for Iran’s drone capability, saying there was some degree of certainty about a third having been destroyed.
The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran’s vast missile arsenal as the US-Israeli war on the country nears its one-month mark, five people familiar with the US intelligence tell Reuters.
The status of around another third is less clear but bombings likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, four of the sources say. The sources speak on condition of anonymity given the sensitive nature of the information.
One of the sources says the intelligence was similar for Iran’s drone capability, saying there was some degree of certainty about a third having been destroyed.
The assessment, which has not been previously reported, shows that while most of Iran’s missiles are either destroyed or inaccessible, Tehran still has a significant missile inventory and may be able to recover some buried or damaged missiles once fighting stops.
The intelligence stands in contrast to US President Donald Trump’s public remarks yesterday that Iran has “very few rockets left”. He also appeared to acknowledge the threat from remaining Iranian missiles and drones to any future US operations to safeguard the economically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon and White House do not immediately respond to requests for comment.
US strikes have hit more than 10,000 Iranian military targets as of Wednesday and, according to Central Command, have sunk 92 percent of the Iranian navy’s large vessels.
Still, Central Command has declined to state precisely how much of Iran’s missile or drone capability has been destroyed.
One source says part of the problem is determining how many Iranian missiles were stockpiled in underground bunkers before the war started. The US has not disclosed its estimate of the size of Iran’s pre-war missile stockpile.
One senior US official voices skepticism about the United States’ ability to accurately assess Iran’s missile capabilities, in part because it is unclear how many are underground and accessible in some way. “I don’t know if we’ll ever have an accurate number,” the official says.
FTA-—The US is only certain that about a third of Iran’s vast missile arsenal has been destroyed as the US-Israeli war nears its one-month mark......another third likely damaged, or buried missiles destroyed in underground tunnels and bunkers, sources say on condition of anonymity.
The joint Iran operations, referred to as “Operation Epic Fury,” utilized the largest concentration of taxpayer paid US firepower by Israel in a generation. (Stars and Stripes)
Israel conducted its operations against Iran, with over 1,000 targets hit by a wide array of US-supplied weapons.
Included thousands of smart bombs, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and GBU-57 bunker busters (as reported by Stars and Stripes).
The U.S. also provided essential refueling for Israeli aircraft, and deployed B-2 stealth bombers and Navy ships firing Tomahawk missiles. (Stars and Stripes)
Key details on US-taxpayer supplied weapons to Israel:
Missiles: Hundreds of US taxpayer-paid Hellfire missiles were delivered to Israel just before the conflict.
Aircraft: The Israeli air force utilized US taxpayer-paid F-35, F-22, F-16, and F/A-18 jets.
Taxpayer-paid Bunker Busters: Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) and 2,000-pound bombs were used against hardened facilities.
Defense Systems: Deployed were taxpayer-paid THAAD missile defense batteries, with over 150 missiles fired during the conflict.
But all of it still didn’t do the job.
Addendum: US arms stockpiles mfg on US soil with tax dollars
for the purpose of protecting US families were vastly depleted by the joint Iran war
and could take years to replenish....using countless billions of tax dollars.
“Anonymous sources. Figures.”
Furthermore, “a third” implies that we know the total size of the missile arsenal. Could it also imply that we know all of the sites comprising the missile arsenal?
I doubt that we have such complete data.
mideasteye.com
March 23, 2026
In the plan’s conception, Israel’s Mossad intel emphasized the war would begin with “the killing of Iranian leaders,” followed by a series of “intelligence operations” intended to encourage “regime change”.
Mossad believed this could lead to a “mass uprising”
that would bring about victory for Israel and the US.
As the war began, Trump’s public messaging to Americans reflected this thinking.
In an eight-minute video statement Trump said: “Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand....when we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
But talk of regime change quickly evaporated. Less than two weeks in, US senators came out of a briefing on the war to say that “overthrowing the Islamic Republic” was NOT one of its goals, and that in fact there was “no plan” at all for the military operation.
snip
P/M Netanyahu seeks to avoid an Israeli vote
Because the Iran war gives him no boost in polls
The Straits Times ^ | Mar 25, 2026
A Times of Israel poll on March 19 showed Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party would likely
win a puny 28 of the Knesset seats, down from the present 34, falling short of a majority.
Mr Netanyahu had assured Trump “Mossad said” Iranians would throw out their rulers. Now reversing himself, Netanyahu has acknowledged there was “no certainty” Iranians would overthrow their rulers.
As the war nears a fifth week, on which Netanyahu apparently built his winning reelection prospects, a war win now appears remote. Netanyahu’s only strategy is to “buy time.”
So what is Netanyahu telling Trump now?
Sure hope Mossad does not have another brainstorm.
I can’t find where any UAE aircraft were shot down, I’ll keep looking. It looks like they have lost a couple of planes on the ground to drones and missiles. I did see that Iran apparently still has some anti-aircraft active in the east now that we are starting to attack targets in Eastern Iran.
Other than billions of US tax treasure and billions in US materiel used
why did Netanyahu inveigle Trump into Israel’s Iran bomb-a-thon?
middleeasteye.com
By MEE staff
Published 23 March 2026
Israel’s “vaunted” Mossad promised Trump it could “ignite regime change” in Iran, says a NYT report.
Mossad intel manipulated Trump into believing the Islamic Regime could be toppled (NYT)
pic—US President Trump greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon arrival
at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on 29 Dec 2025 (Jim Watson/AFP)
Israel’s intel agency, “Mossad, had a plan” to ignite Iranian public protests that would lead to “the collapse” of Iran’s government, the New York Times reported.
David Barnea, Mossad’s chief, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before the US and Israel began their war on Iran and told him that “the Mossad agency would be able to galvanise Iranian opposition” in order to bring about regime change.
Barnea, according to the report, which cites interviews with US and Israeli officials, also presented this proposal to senior US officials during a visit to Washington in mid-January.
The Mossad plan was then taken up by Trump...... despite doubts among some senior American officials.
Mossad’s promises were, according to US and Israeli officials, used by Netanyahu to convince US president Trump that “collapsing the Iranian government was possible.”
Sources should get a big raise. He's in just about every alleged news story around.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.