Iran ‘is digging out bombed underground missile bunkers and reusing them within hours’

Iran is rapidly reactivating its missile shelters within hours of being hit by US and Israeli strikes, according to new intelligence assessments.

The White House has pointed to a decline in Iranian drone and missile launches since the outbreak of hostilities as evidence that Tehran’s offensive capabilities have been crippled.

But a newly released US intelligence report cited by The New York Times suggests otherwise, showing that the regime still maintains a significant arsenal and is quickly repairing damaged areas.

Some of these massive missile shelters are buried deep within granite mountains that can withstand crushing pressures far beyond what conventional building materials can withstand.

This material creates the toughest possible barrier even for America’s most powerful bunker buster bomb, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

One of these strongholds, the Yazd missile base, is thought to have an automated rail system running through tunnels connecting assembly areas, storage depots, and numerous secret exits cut into different faces of the mountain.

In similar underground missile cities seen in Iranian propaganda videos, launchers are moved quickly on trucks, set on fire, and pulled underground behind heavily armored doors in the blink of an eye.

Despite weeks of relentless US-Israeli attacks on its facilities, Iran still somehow manages to unleash its secret arsenal of rockets and drones on targets in the Middle East.

Smoke was rising after the explosion at a missile base near the Iranian city of Baharistan last week.

American officials have warned that Tehran is deliberately maintaining its missile force to maintain pressure throughout a protracted conflict and preserve its influence once hostilities end.

According to the NYT report, Washington cannot be sure how many missile launchers were destroyed due to Iran setting traps.

The report stated that although underground bunkers and silos appeared to be damaged, the launchers could be quickly removed from the rubble and used in attacks.

Many underground ‘missile cities’ are reportedly carved into the mountains, creating a dispersed network of hardened areas that support the country’s ballistic missile capability.

Experts say the Islamic Republic has spent years building these cave shelters to protect its vast missile arsenal from destruction.

Speaking to the Statesman, analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera said: ‘He doesn’t care how many sorties are flown over the mountain.

‘The railway doesn’t care how many gates are sealed. Geology is defense and geology has been there for 300 million years.’

Penetration depth varies depending on whether the target is covered with soil, concrete or dense rock.

Granite in particular absorbs and dissipates explosive energy, reducing the effectiveness of even the largest conventional ammunition.

According to RUSI, penetrating fortified underground facilities may require multiple attacks on the same point, detailed intelligence on internal layout plans, and constant follow-up attacks to prevent rapid repair.

And all this needs to be achieved by suppressing air defenses and coordinating attacks across multiple dispersed sites.

Speaking to Globes, tunneling expert Dr. Amichai Mittelman said: ‘Mountains in Iran provide protection with rocks 50-100 meters thick, which are difficult to break even with heavy bombs.’

Meanwhile, experts told The Telegraph earlier this week that the slowdown in attacks may reflect a tactical shift, with Iran adapting its approach and becoming more adept at disguising mobile launchers after using them.

The Pentagon said it hit 11,000 targets in the first five weeks of the war, while Israeli forces reported that three-quarters of Iran’s launchers had been destroyed as of March 7.

Explosion at missile base in Iran on April 2, 2026

A photo released by the Iranian Army in 2022 shows drones at an underground drone base in an unknown location in Iran

But ongoing attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard raise doubts about how close the allies are to neutralizing the threat.

Missile launch numbers have dropped sharply; initially dropped from hundreds a day to fewer than 40 recently; about 20 a day were targeting Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to launch between 50 and 100 drones every day across the region, and most of them are being intercepted.

Military analysts have warned that efforts to find the remaining launch systems could bring “diminishing returns”, especially given Iran’s vast terrain and long-standing network of secret “missile cities”.

On Monday, US defense secretary Pete Hegseth said: ‘Yes, they will still shoot down some missiles, but we will shoot them down.’ He added: ‘They will go underground, but we will find them.’

The report came after CNN cited a US intelligence assessment that about half of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers were still intact despite more than a month of US-Israeli attacks across the country.

Some remaining missile launchers are not currently believed to be accessible after being buried under rubble during air strikes.

In response to the CNN report, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said: ‘Iran’s ballistic missile and drone strikes have decreased by around 90 per cent, their navy has been destroyed, two-thirds of their production facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and the US and Israel maintain overwhelming air dominance over Iran.’

However, despite claims of air superiority, US special forces were deployed to rescue the pilot of the crashed F-15E, while the search for the missing weapons officer continued.

Iranian authorities are reportedly offering a reward of around £50,000 for information leading to his capture.

In Dubai, debris from a stalled drone crashed into a US technology office overnight. Authorities confirmed that no injuries occurred in the incident, only shrapnel hit the building.

In a post shared on X, Dubai’s media office said: ‘Authorities confirm they are responding to a minor incident caused by aerial debris falling on the façade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City. ‘No injuries reported.’

Tehran has previously warned that it could target American technology firms operating in the Middle East.