Top Iranian Official Denies Reports of an Exhausted Missile Arsenal, Emphasizes Precision Over Quantity

TEHRAN, June 21, 2025 – A senior, unnamed Iranian official told CNN today that recent media reports claiming Iran is depleting its missile stocks are false. “We have shifted policy from quantity to quality,” he stated, explaining that Iran now relies on fewer, more advanced, precision missiles aimed at Israeli military and security targets.

Ballistic missile models on display at Iran's Defense Achievements Exhibition in Tehran, August 2023. Photo: AFP

Iran’s spokesperson asserted that a single missile launched in Thursday’s strike easily penetrated U.S.-supplied THAAD and Patriot systems, as well as Israel’s Arrow 2/3, David’s Sling, and Iron Dome defenses, and struck its intended target.

Although Iran has not released specifics, Israel’s military said Iran fired one missile at Beersheba on June 20, which was not intercepted. The attack reportedly struck a road near a tech hub, wounding at least seven and causing structural damage.

“Iran isn’t running low on missiles. If anything, Israel should observe how the balance of power has changed,” warned the Iranian official .

This rebuttal came after IDF Commander Eyal Zamir claimed Israel neutralized many of Iran’s intermediate-range missile launchers and destroyed several air-defense batteries .

Military analysts say Iran may be prolonging the conflict to inflict further costs on Israel. “They have little to lose at this point,” warned Afshon Ostovar, a U.S. Naval War College expert on Iranian military affairs.

Independent estimates from the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies suggest Iran possessed around 3,000 ballistic missiles before June, about two-thirds capable of striking Israel. Israeli intelligence reports indicate Iran has launched roughly 470 ballistic missiles and 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles over the past week—numbers that, while high, fell short of Israel’s worst-case expectations .

Some experts argue Iran has used older missile models initially to overwhelm Israel’s defenses, then switched to higher-quality weapons to penetrate remaining layers of defense .

Meanwhile, a senior Israeli intelligence official told NBC News that air defenses intercepted only 65% of the ballistic missiles on June 19—a noticeable drop from the 90% interception rate seen the previous day. “Iran still has very advanced missiles,” the official confirmed.

What this means: Iran is signaling a strategic shift—prioritizing accuracy and target selectivity over launching large barrages. Its aim appears twofold: preserve missile reserves while sustaining pressure on Israeli defenses. For Israel, the evolving dynamic raises critical questions about its air-defense capacity and whether it can sustain high sortie rates and interceptor usage over a protracted conflict.