Iran's battered war machine may be bouncing back far more quickly than Washington expected. During the six-week ceasefire that began in April, Tehran quietly restarted parts of its drone production, and some assessments now say its attack-drone capability could be fully restored within six months, according to multiple sources who spoke with CNN about US intelligence assessments. One US official said Iran has "exceeded all timelines" for rebuilding laid out by the intelligence community.
The rebuilding effort was assisted by support from Russia and China, and by the fact that US and Israeli strikes didn't inflict as much damage as expected, according to CNN's sources. China has denied supplying missile-related components to Iran. The rapid recovery raises doubts about claims that Iran's defense industry was crippled "for years," as CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper testified earlier this week.
Intelligence now suggests about two-thirds of Iran's missile launchers and roughly half its drones remain, along with much of its coastal defense missile force, CNN's sources say. That leaves Iran still able to threaten Israel, Gulf states, and shipping near the Strait of Hormuz if President Trump follows through on repeated warnings that he could resume strikes. On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed to strengthen the country's military with all available resources, CBS News reports. He said the head of the country's army had told him the military is "fully prepared to provide a decisive, regrettable response" to any new attacks.
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