President Trump: Iran Possessed 'Far More Missiles Than Anyone Thought' Ahead of U.S.

President Trump: Iran Possessed 'Far More Missiles Than Anyone Thought' Ahead of U.S.-Israeli Strikes

President Donald Trump stated Monday that Iran maintained a significantly larger ballistic missile arsenal than U.S. intelligence or allies had anticipated, justifying the preemptive U.S.-Israeli military campaign now in its second week.

Speaking to a gathering of Republican lawmakers in Florida and in separate media interviews, Trump claimed Iran was poised for a massive attack "within a week" on the United States, Israel, and the broader Middle East. "They were ready. They had all these missiles, far more than anyone thought, and they were going to attack us," he said, according to reports from BBC, The Guardian, Haaretz, and CBS News. Trump added that without the initial strikes—including B-2 bomber operations—Iran could have inflicted catastrophic damage, potentially using a nuclear weapon against Israel if one had been available.

The president emphasized the scale of destruction achieved so far under Operation Epic Fury: U.S. forces have struck over 5,000 targets, destroyed approximately 80% of Iran's missile launchers, decimated its navy (with claims of 44–46 ships sunk), eliminated its air force, and reduced missile and drone capabilities to "a scatter" or about 10% remaining. He described Iran's remaining arsenal as depleted, with barrages now limited to small numbers (under 10–20 missiles per wave) compared to initial salvos.

Trump's comments align with earlier administration messaging framing the conflict as a necessary response to an imminent threat. He has repeatedly asserted Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program (claims disputed by some experts and lacking public evidence) and expanding missile production to levels that could hold the region "hostage." Pre-war estimates from U.S. Central Command and Israeli intelligence placed Iran's ballistic missile inventory at around 3,000, with potential growth to 8,000 by 2027—figures that may underpin Trump's "far more than anyone thought" remark, though no new declassified intelligence has been cited to support a dramatically higher count.

The statements come amid ongoing operations: Israeli strikes continue on Tehran and other sites, Iranian retaliatory missiles and drones have targeted U.S. bases and allies (including over 250 missiles and 1,400+ drones launched at the UAE alone), and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains near standstill. Trump has projected the war as "very complete, pretty much" and "far ahead of schedule," while vowing no relent until objectives are met, including full elimination of Iran's missile production and launch capacity.

Critics and fact-checkers have noted inconsistencies in timelines and claims (e.g., long-range missiles reaching the U.S. "soon" contradict prior DIA assessments), but Trump maintains the preemptive action prevented a worse scenario. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has echoed the focus on degrading Iran's short- and medium-range ballistic missiles to prevent future threats.

No immediate response from Iranian officials to Trump's specific missile stockpile claim, though state media continues to vow resilience. The conflict's attrition on both sides—particularly interceptor stocks for defending against Shahed drones and missiles—remains a point of congressional concern.

This is a developing story as strikes intensify and diplomatic fallout grows. Updates from the Pentagon and White House are expected.