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<\/p>\n\n Roughly half of Iran\u2019s missile launchers are still intact and thousands of one-way attack drones remain in Iran\u2019s arsenal despite the daily pounding by US and Israeli strikes against military targets over the past five weeks, according to recent US intelligence assessments, three sources familiar with the intel told CNN.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThey are still very much poised to wreak absolute havoc throughout the entire region,\u201d one of the sources said of Iran.\n <\/p>\n
\n The US intelligence assessment total may include launchers that are currently inaccessible, such as those buried underground by strikes but not destroyed.\n <\/p>\n
\n Thousands of Iranian drones still exist \u2014 roughly 50% of the country\u2019s drone capabilities \u2014 two of the sources said the intelligence indicated. The intelligence, compiled in recent days, also showed a large percentage of Iran\u2019s coastal defense cruise missiles were intact, the sources said, consistent with the US not focusing its air campaign on coastal military assets though they have been hitting ships. Those missiles serve as a key capability allowing Iran to threaten shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.\n <\/p>\n
\n The intelligence offers a more nuanced picture of Iran\u2019s continuing capabilities compared to sweeping assessments of military victory offered publicly by President Donald Trump and administration officials.\n <\/p>\n
\n In remarks to the nation on Wednesday evening, Trump said Iran\u2019s \u201cability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces, very few of them left.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n As of Wednesday, the US has struck more than 12,300 targets inside Iran, according to US Central Command. The sources said the intelligence showed the US military has degraded Iran\u2019s military capabilities, and key senior leaders have been killed in US and Israeli strikes, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Ali Larijani, the head of Iran\u2019s National Security Council.\n <\/p>\n
\n In addition to the country\u2019s missile launchers, Iran maintains a large number of missiles, according to the intelligence.\n <\/p>\n
\n In public comments, the Pentagon has pointed to a reduction in the total number of missiles launched by Iran, rather than what has been destroyed. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing on March 19 that \u201cballistic missile attacks against our forces, down 90 percent since the start of the conflict, same with one way attack UAVs, think kamikaze drones, down 90 percent.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
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\n In response to questions for this story, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that, \u201canonymous sources desperately want to attack President Trump and demean the incredible work of our United States Military in achieving the goals of Operation Epic Fury.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cHere are the facts: Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks are down 90 percent, their navy is wiped out, two-thirds of their production facilities are damaged or destroyed, and the United States and Israel have overwhelming air dominance over Iran,\u201d she said. \u201cThe terrorist regime is being decimated militarily and their dismal situation grows bleaker by the day \u2013 their only hope is to make a deal with President Trump\u2019s administration and leave behind their nuclear ambitions for good. Otherwise, they will be hit harder than they\u2019ve ever been hit before.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n An administration official added that Iran\u2019s ballistic missiles are being destroyed rapidly.\n <\/p>\n
\n Israel, countries in the Gulf, and US military personnel have continued to face regular barrages of missile and drone strikes.\n <\/p>\n
\n Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell disputed CNN\u2019s reporting, calling it \u201ccompletely wrong.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe United States military has delivered a crippling series of blows to the Iranian regime,\u201d Parnell said. \u201cWe are far ahead of schedule on accomplishing our military objectives: destroy Iran\u2019s missile arsenal, annihilate their Navy, destroy their terrorist proxies, and ensure Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Israeli military officials put the total number of operational Iranian launchers at a lower number, roughly 20-25%. Israel does not include launchers that have been buried or made inaccessible in caves and tunnels in their count of surviving launchers, said one of the sources familiar with the US\u2019 intelligence assessment and an Israeli source.\n <\/p>\n
\n On Wednesday, Trump put the timeline for finishing US operations at two to three weeks.\n <\/p>\n
\n The first source who has reviewed the US intelligence assessment said such a goal was unrealistic, given how much remains on the playing field for Iran to use.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe can keep f**king them up, I don\u2019t doubt it, but you\u2019re out of your mind if you think this will be done in two weeks,\u201d the source said.\n <\/p>\n
\n Hegseth said this week in a press briefing that Iran\u2019s firepower is continuing to decrease.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cYes, they will still shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down,\u201d he said. \u201cOf note, the last 24 hours saw the lowest number of enemy missiles and drones fired by Iran. They will go underground, but we will find them.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
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\n The ability to go underground is a primary reason why launchers have not been further degraded, two of the sources familiar with the recent assessment told CNN. Iran has long hid its launchers in extensive networks of tunnels and caves \u2014 preparing for conflict like this for decades \u2014 making them particularly difficult to target. Two of the sources said Iran has had success in shooting and moving the mobile platforms, making it difficult to track the launchers, similar to the challenges the US has had with the Houthis in Yemen, one of Iran\u2019s primary proxy forces.\n <\/p>\n