Not destroying Iran's missiles, drones 'most significant failure,' former CENTCOM deputy cmdr. says

Ballistic missiles are weapons that travel through a high, arcing flight path toward a target. Military drones are remotely controlled or autonomous aircraft used for surveillance or attacks. Together, they let Iran threaten distant military, political, and economic targets while keeping its forces largely inside Iran.

Their power comes from reach and flexibility. Missiles can deliver explosive warheads quickly over long distances. Drones can gather information, carry weapons, or pressure targets through repeated attacks. These systems give Tehran ways to influence events without relying only on troops, ships, or aircraft operating abroad.

The article calls them Iran's main power-projection and pressure tools. Harward said they threaten American forces, Israel, and regional countries. Because they remain available, Iran retains a way to threaten opponents and rebuild pressure even after military strikes. Their continued existence could therefore shape the next wave of military action and complicate international efforts to support Iran's population against the regime.

The failure matters because the United States and Israel did not completely eliminate capabilities that Harward described as Iran's main means of threatening American forces, Israel, and nearby countries. These weapons remain central to Tehran's ability to project power and apply pressure. That makes the war's military results incomplete.

The key mechanism is continued leverage. As long as Iran can launch missiles or operate military drones, it can still threaten opponents, impose risks on regional forces, and preserve bargaining power. Harward said these capabilities are the main power-projection and pressure tools left in Tehran's arsenal. They therefore matter beyond the damage already caused by the war.

Harward also said their existence is a primary obstacle to international support for the Iranian population against the regime. The weapons may become the main target of another military wave. The article presents this as a continuing security problem, not a threat removed by the current operations.

Iran's remaining missiles and drones preserve its ability to threaten targets across the region. Harward specifically identified American forces, Israel, and other regional countries as exposed. The danger is not only a single attack. The capabilities give Tehran continuing power to pressure opponents and keep them planning around possible strikes.

The mechanism is straightforward: surviving launch and drone systems can be used to deliver attacks or create uncertainty about where and when pressure might appear. That forces governments and military commanders to remain alert. It also gives Iran a tool for retaliation or coercion, even if other parts of its military capacity have been damaged.

The article says these weapons could be the main target of the next wave of military action. Trump has threatened to renew strikes while also pursuing diplomacy through Qatari mediators. Until the capabilities are eliminated or reduced, the United States, Israel, and regional countries must continue treating Iran as an active missile and drone threat.

The United States has both military and economic options short of a nuclear attack. Harward said Washington possesses many kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities for increasing pressure on Iran. He described nuclear use as a last resort, especially because conventional alternatives remain available.

Military tools include naval blockades and blocking Iran's remaining trade routes. Harward also mentioned the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB, against Iranian nuclear facilities. Economic tools include Treasury sanctions, such as the latest measures against eight Canada-based money services firms accused of facilitating transactions with sanctioned Iranian entities.

These measures work through different channels. Blockades restrict movement and trade. Sanctions and financial restrictions make transactions harder and isolate targeted entities. Conventional strikes can damage facilities, although the article says the MOAB cannot reach deeply buried targets. The administration is combining pressure with diplomacy, while keeping the option of renewed strikes open.

The MOAB and MOP are both conventional US bombs, but they serve different purposes. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, known as the Mother of All Bombs, is the US military's most powerful conventional weapon. However, it is not a bunker buster and cannot penetrate deeply enough to destroy buried targets.

The GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, is smaller but designed specifically for deeply buried facilities. Its key advantage is penetration. Instead of relying mainly on a large surface blast, it is built to reach underground targets before detonating. That makes it better suited to hardened or buried nuclear facilities.

US officials told CNN that the MOAB cannot strike deep Iranian targets. The article contrasts it with the MOP, which US Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped during Operation Midnight Hammer. Thus, weapon size alone does not determine suitability; the design and intended target matter more.

Sanctions, trade blockades, and financial restrictions create pressure by limiting a government's ability to earn, move, and spend money. They can restrict trade routes, target firms that handle payments, and isolate entities connected to the government. This reduces the resources available for imports, military activity, and day-to-day state operations.

The article gives two examples. The United States can blockade Iran's remaining trade routes and has issued Treasury sanctions against eight Canada-based money services firms accused of facilitating transactions with sanctioned Iranian entities. These actions interrupt commercial links and make financial dealings more difficult for organizations connected to Tehran.

Harward said the resulting financial strangulation is already causing severe internal shocks in Iran. He argued that time is working in Trump's favor because economic pressure can weaken the regime without an immediate nuclear attack. The article also indicates that pressure may continue alongside diplomacy, military blockades, and possible renewed strikes.

The article states that the Middle East holds 60% of the world's proven oil reserves. That is a major concentration of an essential energy resource in one region. As a result, instability involving Iran matters beyond the countries directly involved. It can affect how governments assess security, alliances, and access to trade routes.

Iran's location and the article's focus on the Strait of Hormuz add to the concern. US military operations are taking place in and around that waterway, while Harward also discussed blockading Iran's trade routes. Any military or economic disruption connected to these routes could increase pressure on regional governments and international partners.

Harward said alliances being built now could help the Middle East become more prosperous and secure after the Iranian threat is removed. The article therefore links Iran's remaining weapons to a wider strategic question: whether regional security can improve around an area holding most of the world's proven oil reserves.