Iran is still in possession of the majority of its stockpiles of mobile launchers and missiles, US media reported on Tuesday.
The New York Times cited classified assessments by US intelligence agencies from earlier in May as saying that Iran still has approximately 70% of its mobile launchers and roughly 70% of its pre-war missile stockpile.
According to the newspaper, Tehran has also regained access to most of its underground missile sites as well as roughly 90% of its underground facilities and launchers.
The Washington Post reported last week on a US intelligence assessment and cited similar figures. The report quoted a US official as saying that Iran still possesses approximately 75% of its pre-war inventory of mobile launchers and about 70% of its missiles.
The newspaper also cited indications that the Iranian leadership had been able to reactivate almost all of its underground storage facilities, repair some damaged missiles and even assemble some new ones.
Trump blasts media coverage of the Iran conflict
The New York Times reported that some senior US officials were particularly alarmed by evidence that Iran had regained access to most of its missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. A fragile ceasefire is currently in place in the Iran conflict and negotiations to end the war have stalled.
On Tuesday, Trump once again blasted media coverage of the Iran conflict on his platform Truth Social.
"When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it's virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement. They are aiding and abetting the enemy," Trump said without specifying which coverage he was referring to.
The reports by the New York Times and Washington Post sharply contrast with the US administration's portrayal of Iran as having been largely militarily defeated in the war launched by Israel and the US in late February. They also come at a time when the direct and indirect costs of the conflict are increasingly becoming a recurring topic of discussion in the US.
Hegseth denies US is running low on munitions
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday dismissed accusations that the war on Iran has depleted US missile and munitions stockpiles, with Democrats saying the country has been left vulnerable to attack.
US Senator Mark Kelly on Sunday said he found it "shocking" how depleted certain munitions were due to the war, citing Pentagon briefings on Tomahawk, ATACMS and Patriot missile stocks.
Hegseth told a House of Representatives subcommittee that oversees defence spending that "We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need."
Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: "We have sufficient munitions for what we're tasked to do right now."
Sceptics have expressed concern about whether US reserves would be sufficient for another potential major conflict rather than about the current situation.
