Despite US and Israeli strikes, Iran maintains its missile program, and experts doubt it can be completely destroyed in conflict, writes „The Washington Post“.
As noted in the publication, available satellite images show that as a result of the strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic “above-ground launchers were destroyed, access to underground missiles was temporarily blocked and Iran was deprived of the ability to immediately produce new missiles“. “However, experts warned that Iran's ballistic missile program has not been destroyed“, the publication emphasizes.
“They are still launching missiles. This is a key indicator“, noted Tom Karako, a fellow specializing in missile defense issues at the Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“Some experts have expressed doubts that the missile program can ever be completely destroyed, citing the regime's experience in recovering from past attacks and its access to supply chains that allow it to replenish destroyed production equipment“, the publication emphasizes. “Iran also uses mobile launchers, the number of which is unknown.“
According to expert assessments cited in the article, “in the first four weeks of the US-Israeli operation, four major ballistic missile production facilities in Iran and at least 29 ballistic missile launch sites were damaged“.