Open sources are indispensable in this domain, but figures from a directly involved party must always be weighed against independent estimates.
Example
In a major drone attack on air bases, the executing party claimed dozens of destroyed aircraft and billions in damage; independent analyses based on satellite imagery arrived at substantially lower numbers. Both figures are relevant — provided they are explicitly presented as a claim versus an estimate.
Key point
Good analysis always states the source of a figure and the distinction between a claim and a verification. See also the precedent timeline in Chapter 5.1, where this nuance is consistently flagged.