During the current but tenuous ceasefire, Iran has successfully managed to excavate multiple key sites tied to its missile program that were previously bombarded by the American-Israeli warplanes during the initial five weeks of Operation Epic Fury.
While the revelation is not exactly new, a fresh CNN report has confirmed through recent satellite imagery that more missile tunnels have been dug out than previously thought.
Tehran utilized basic construction equipment to dig out several missile launchers and reopen subterranean tunnels tied to its missile program. The visual analysis determined that Iran was able to successfully clear the entrances to 50 out of 69 targeted tunnels, alongside 18 distinct missile production sites.
"Iran has repaired other parts of the bases as well, including roads that the US and Israel bombed to prevent missile launchers from using them," CNN wrote. "Satellite images show almost all these craters have now been filled, and at two sites, even repaved."
This assessment heavily mirrors a series of leaked intelligence reports that have surfaced over the past month. CNN underscored that the US intelligence community currently estimates that Iran still has over 75% of its missile launchers fully available, and there's been a constant production of drones ongoing throughout the ceasefire.
Sam Lair, a research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies who analyzes told the outlet that "There’s nothing to prevent the launchers from being armed with the ample stockpile of missiles that the Iranians still have."
He sought to highlight the limits of American firepower, in terms of damage, and given that it hasn't been sustained:
“The US military is good at delivering tactical successes, and entombing and suppressing the Iranian missile force is a great example of that,” said Lair.
“However, if that isn’t accompanied by a set of reasonable strategic war aims and an achievable theory of victory, it can end up being a strategic failure.”
President Trump has been touting the near annihilation of Iran's arsenal, and has lately said the rest of its launch sites could be taken out in a day if he gave the order.
Despite that peace talks are not really going anywhere, and Tehran even announced they've halted as of Monday morning, the White House doesn't look in any hurry to start dropping bombs again.
So far both sides have settled in for a long conflict, centered on blockading the Hormuz Strait, and in anticipating of outlasting the other side in terms of absorbing economic and political pain.