Trump Claimed Iran's Navy Was Wiped Out... "60% of Revolutionary Guard Naval Forces Remain"

"About Half of Iran's Missile Arsenal Remains"

Reuters Yonhap News

On April 22 (local time), CBS News reported that the U.S. government has determined that the naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remain largely intact. Contrary to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s naval and air forces had been “wiped out,” it is understood that Iran has preserved a significant portion of its military capabilities.

According to CBS News, citing U.S. government officials, “About 60% of the IRGC Navy’s operational capabilities remain, including fast attack boats,” and, “Although Iran’s air force has suffered significant damage, two-thirds of its overall strength remains operational.”

CBS also reported that when the two-week ceasefire with Iran began, the U.S. government had assessed that about half of Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile and related launch systems remained intact. This stands in direct contradiction to President Trump’s earlier statements that most of Iran’s military power had been eliminated, which is expected to spark controversy. On April 21, President Trump stated, “We eliminated their navy, we eliminated their air force, we eliminated their leadership.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also stated during a briefing on April 8 that, “This operation is a historic victory that has decimated the Iranian military and rendered it combat ineffective for years to come.” CBS reported, “A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, provided classified information stating that most of Iran’s conventional navy was destroyed in the operation. However, the IRGC Navy, which possesses numerous small vessels, remains partially intact and is disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.”

The U.S. Department of Defense believes that Iran still retains enough military strength to threaten U.S. forces and oil-producing countries in the Middle East. Marine Corps Lieutenant General James Adams, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), warned in a written statement submitted to the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations that, “Despite the degradation of its forces, Iran still possesses thousands of missiles and one-way attack UAVs (suicide drones) capable of threatening U.S. forces and partner nations in the region.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.