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U.S. and Israel Have Pounded - but Not Eliminated - Iran's Missile Threat
(Wall Street Journal) David S. Cloud - The U.S. and Israel are pounding Iran's missile-launching sites, hitting some over and over across almost a month of war. But Tehran's missiles keep flying. Iran has shifted to firing from deeper inside its territory with longer-range missiles after airstrikes early in the war inflicted a heavy toll on Iranian bases and truck launchers near the Persian Gulf coastline. Iran is firing far fewer missiles now, "but they don't need to," said Gen. (ret.) Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command. "All they really have to do is get something through, and they get a big bang for the buck." Halting the war with Iran's missile arsenal damaged but still intact would allow it to rebuild over time, salvaging missiles from underground bases and rebuilding production factories, analysts said. Instead of firing at military targets, Iran has shifted to hitting oil facilities, hotels and civilian areas, said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington. "If they get any hits, they have greater impact."