The US military ATACMS missile system in South Korea. (File photo: AFP)
US lacks enough missiles to resume all-out war with Iran: report
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
The United States’ dwindling missile stockpiles could severely constrain any escalation into a full-scale conflict with Iran, according to a senior US official cited by The Washington Post.
The danger to Washington comes as President Donald Trump weighs broader military options and deploys additional warplanes to the Middle East.
According to a report, the US does not have enough missiles to safely sustain prolonged operations against Tehran.
“We do not have enough to safely sustain operations, and I don’t think the White House is aware of that,” the official familiar with administration discussions told The Washington Post.
This concern stems from the heavy expenditure of advanced munitions during earlier phases of the conflict which began on February 28.
Analyses by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicate that the US expended significant portions of its inventories of THAAD and Patriot interceptors, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and large numbers of other precision munitions.
Replenishment remains a major challenge. CSIS estimates suggest it could take three or more years to restore pre-war levels for key systems, with Tomahawk stocks potentially not fully rebuilt until 2030 or later due to limited production rates.
Experts note that current delivery schedules provide only about 15 new Tomahawks and 20 Patriots per month, with no THAAD deliveries forecast for 2026.
