Amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East, the United States, which has entered a “war of its own choosing,” faces fears of a dwindling stockpile of weapons as tensions show no sign of abating for a fifth day. This comes as US President Donald Trump has hinted that a war in Iran could last four to five weeks or longer.
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, CNN and News18, stocks of critical missiles could run out if the war continues for another 10 days.
The Pentagon warns of running out of weapons and ammunition
According to CNN, citing a senior US official, Washington is already facing shortages of key missiles, including Tomahawk land-based missiles and SM-3 interceptors.
The official warned of a “big increase” in strikes over the next 24 hours, while acknowledging that artillery may be running low.
In the initial phase of the strikes, Iran’s defenses were weakened, according to a News18 report. The next phase aims to destroy Iran’s missile facilities, drones and naval capabilities.
But all this comes against the backdrop of the Pentagon crisis.
The US War Department is also reportedly facing a shortage of Patriot missiles, due to Ukraine having already used a large stockpile of them during its four-year conflict with Russia.
As the Wall Street Journal reports, repeated conflicts with Iran and its allies in the Middle East are eroding America’s weapons stockpile.
The exact stockpile of U.S. air defense fighters — what the Pentagon calls stack depth — is classified. And there will be more US strikes on Iran.
“One of the challenges is that you can run them out really quickly,” Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center think tank who previously taught at the Air Command and Staff College, told the WSJ. “We’re using them faster than we can replace them.”
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Concerns are also beginning to emerge about the THAAD anti-missile system deployed in Israel in 2024. Amid the attacks from Iran, the Pentagon is concerned about maintaining a sufficient supply of interceptors for THAAD.
Patriot and Standard Missile fighters also need to be restocked soon. These are used to eliminate aerial threats and are used to defend against Iranian missiles and drones.
Patriots can intercept low-flying threats, while SM3s can shoot down ballistic missiles above Earth’s atmosphere.
The US is also experiencing a shortage of Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles, widely known as TLAMs, and aircraft-launched weapons against Iranian targets.
Can Israel help?
One development that may help the Pentagon with weapons depletion concerns is the involvement of the Israeli military, which it says has attacked Iran’s military leadership.
However, according to the WSJ report, Israel is also facing concerns about weapons supplies — stockpiles of its Arrow 3 air defense fighters, according to the report citing another US official.
The cost of war is also a concern. According to News18, the first 24 hours of the strike alone cost $779 million.
Key things
- The US military is experiencing critical shortages of key missiles due to protracted conflicts.
- The cost of military operations is escalating, raising concerns about sustainability.
- The involvement of allies such as Israel may provide temporary relief, but will not solve the underlying supply problems.
