Iran Retains Missile and Drone Capabilities Despite US Strikes

Iran has maintained its missile and drone production capabilities, and is rebuilding its military stockpiles despite previous strikes by the United States and Israel, according to unnamed Western officials cited by Bloomberg. These officials believe Tehran has preserved a significant portion of its manufacturing capacity and is also receiving missile supplies from Russia. They suggest Iran has used a recent period of relative calm to bolster its defense industry and rearm, retaining a substantial number of ballistic missiles and anti-ship weapons that can be quickly replenished. These officials assess that Iran's current arsenal is sufficient for an effective response should U.S. attacks resume.

Department of Defense did not comment on the Russian missile supply claims. These assessments contrast with statements from the U.S. administration. On September 30, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asserted that American strikes had destroyed Iran's military-industrial potential and defense infrastructure. White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly rejected the Western officials' assessment, stating that U.S. operations "Midnight Hammer" targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and "Epic Fury" aimed to eliminate Iran's military capabilities, including ballistic missiles, production sites, and naval forces.

Amid reports of Iran's restored missile capabilities, potential disagreements between Washington and Jerusalem regarding further actions against Tehran have emerged. According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, the U.S. has recently pressured Israel to conduct strikes against Iran independently, without direct American military involvement. U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly desired Israel to bear primary responsibility for new attacks, possibly to avoid domestic political backlash before the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. Maariv cited Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir as opposing this scenario, warning that renewed conflict could lead to the postponement of Israel's October 27 Knesset elections.

Earlier, Israel's Channel 12 reported that senior U.S. military officials had informed Zamir of White House and Pentagon directives to prepare for a potential large-scale attack on Iran within three weeks. Zamir reportedly cautioned his U.S. counterparts about the potential political ramifications for Israel and assessed that Tehran might retaliate with massive missile barrages against Israeli territory in response to a U.S. strike.