Iran Restores Access to 50 of 69 Missile Tunnels

Iran has rapidly restored access to the majority of its underground missile facilities that were targeted by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes earlier this year, according to an analysis of recent satellite imagery. The findings indicate that despite an intensive bombing campaign, Tehran retains a significant capacity to launch long-range missiles across the Middle East.

The imagery shows that Iran has successfully cleared debris and reopened 50 out of 69 tunnel entrances at 18 separate underground missile sites. The work, conducted primarily with bulldozers and dump trucks, accelerated significantly during a ceasefire that began in April. In addition to excavating tunnels, Iranian crews have filled in bomb craters and repaved roads that were struck to impede the movement of missile launchers.

This rapid recovery underscores a strategic challenge for the United States and Israel. Military strikes during the initial five weeks of the conflict, part of an operation referred to as Epic Fury, successfully restricted access to these sites by destroying roads and burying entrances. However, the use of simple, low-tech equipment for reconstruction has allowed Iran to undo much of that damage...