A girl walks past missiles displayed in the National Aerospace Park of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, just outside Tehran, Iran, November 2025. Photo: AP.
Iran successfully studied the flight patterns of American fighter jets and bombers, allowing it to defend more effectively against US airstrikes, The New York Times reported, citing a senior US military official.
Tehran also used a period of ceasefire to extract missiles and launchers from previously bombed positions, the official added.
According to the official, Iranian commanders, possibly with Russian assistance, analyzed the flight patterns of US fighter jets and bombers, including aircraft involved in recent strikes.
The official warned that the downing of an F-15E fighter jet last month, along with ground fire directed at an F-35, revealed that US aerial tactics have become highly predictable, enabling Iran to mount more efficient defenses.
Iran recovers ballistic missile sites
On Iran’s missile capabilities, the US official stated that Tehran exploited the ceasefire to clear dozens of ballistic missile sites that had been bombed and to reposition mobile launch platforms. Despite sustaining losses, Iran has adjusted its tactics in anticipation of any renewed strikes.
The official noted that many of Iran’s ballistic missiles were launched from deep underground caves and facilities carved into granite mountains, structures that US attack aircraft find difficult to destroy.
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As a result, the United States primarily bombed the entrances to these sites, causing collapses and burials but not full destruction, and then Iran excavated a significant number of those sites, the official told the NYT.
Asked about the overall impact of the war on Tehran, the official said, “Although five weeks of intense bombing killed many Iranian commanders and leaders, the war has left a tougher and more resilient adversary.”
The official added that the Iranians have redeployed much of their remaining weaponry and have developed a strengthened belief that their country can successfully resist the United States, whether by effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, attacking energy infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states, or threatening US aircraft.
