US and “Israeli” military and intelligence officials have been taken aback by the speed with which Iran has rebuilt its military capabilities following the 2026 war, with particular concern over the Islamic Republic’s rapid restoration of its ballistic-missile and drone capabilities.
According to a report by the Jerusalem Post, the “Israeli” military was surprised by the pace at which Iran was able to reconstitute its forces following the main phase of fighting, including rebuilding the missile capabilities that had come under attack.
The developments came after the US-“Israeli” aggression against Iran, which followed the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei. Iran responded to the aggression with extensive retaliatory operations against US and “Israeli” targets, demonstrating that the Islamic Republic retained substantial military capacity despite the attacks.
Iran launched missile strikes against “Israel” at the beginning of June and escalated its retaliatory operations in early July, including renewed attacks on US-aligned positions in the region. Tehran also maintained its position regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital waterway through which a major share of global energy supplies passes.
The latest assessments have forced senior “Israeli” defense officials to acknowledge that Iran has found effective and creative ways to rebuild its offensive capabilities at a pace that exceeded earlier expectations.
The Jerusalem Post cited estimates indicating that Iran possessed approximately 1,300 missiles in June 2025, when the United States and “Israel” last attacked the Islamic Republic, before increasing that figure to around 2,500 by the beginning of the February 2026 war.
The report also said that statements by senior Iranian officials regarding the accelerated production of new weapons have been confirmed by the outlet.
US intelligence reached a similar conclusion. Four US officials told CNN in May that Iranian forces were exceeding “all timelines” previously projected for rebuilding their military capabilities.
US assessments had initially indicated that Iran might require as long as six months to fully restore its drone attack capabilities, potentially until November, according to one US official. The speed of Iran’s recovery therefore appears to have challenged assumptions made by American and “Israeli” planners.
Two sources familiar with US intelligence assessments also told CNN that China had continued supplying Iran with components used in missile production, although Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports may have disrupted some of those channels.
At the same time, the conflict has placed growing pressure on US stocks of precision-guided long-range weapons.
Reuters reported earlier this month that the United States had used “virtually all” of its ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles during the war, raising questions about Washington’s ability to sustain another major campaign against Iran.
The depletion of precision weapons could force the United States to rely more heavily on manned bombing missions if President Donald Trump decides to launch another large-scale attack on Iran, potentially exposing US personnel and aircraft to greater risks.
Iran’s rapid reconstruction of its military capabilities has consequently emerged as a major challenge to US and “Israeli” calculations. Despite the scale of the aggression and the attacks directed against its leadership and military infrastructure, Tehran has demonstrated its ability to regenerate key offensive capabilities and maintain its capacity for retaliation.
The developments have underscored the resilience of Iran’s military establishment and raised fresh doubts over whether another US-“Israeli” military campaign could achieve its objectives without imposing substantial costs on the aggressors.
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