Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program during his first term. “It is not possible to reach and damage these capabilities easily.”Those capabilities pose enough of a threat that some Persian Gulf states have taken steps to distance themselves from the U.S. buildup. Open-source analysis of Iran’s missile program supports the government assessment of its capabilities. The Israeli strikes didn’t completely destroy Iranian missile factories, Hinz said; rather, they destroyed key elements of the missile-production process such as mixing equipment. Damage to Iranian missile bases is more difficult to assess because the facilities are so deep underground.

Source: Washington Post February 01, 2026 20:31 UTC