On August 4th local time, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter, that the U.S. Army had exhausted most of its high-precision long-range missile reserves during the five-month war against Iran. This has raised concerns about the military's ability to engage in future conflicts.
These missiles mainly include ground-to-air weapons for the Army, namely the “Army Tactical Missile System” (ATACMS) and the “Precision Strike Missile” (PrSM). According to two of them, the United States has deployed “almost all” of such weapons.
According to reports, long-range missiles are an important part of the U.S. military arsenal, capable of delivering precise strikes from a safe distance. The ATACMS missile provided by the United States played a key role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, enabling Ukrainian forces to strike targets within Russia. The PrSM is a newer and more advanced generation of missiles, intended to replace the shorter-range ATACMS.
Sources declined to disclose the exact remaining quantities of various types of ammunition in the United States. Another source said that despite the high usage of precision-guided weapons, the United States is still able to replenish its supplies. This source added that the Central Command responsible for U.S. military forces in the Middle East has been able to re-load ammunition from U.S. military stockpiles around the world.
Analysts unanimously believe that the production of certain types of ammunition, including artillery shells and various missiles, is hitting new highs. However, they also warn that the supply might be far from sufficient to sustain a prolonged battle.
When asked for comments on inventory data, the White House released a statement from Trump, stating that the United States “has more ammunition than any other country in the world,” and that this amount is “far beyond our actual needs.” “At present, our defense industry is producing more weapons than ever before, while also expanding factories and equipment at a record pace.”
Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Sean Pennelly also responded: "The U.S. military is the most powerful military in the world, equipped with everything needed to carry out missions at the time and place chosen by the President. We have successfully carried out numerous operations at various combat commands, while ensuring that the U.S. military has a rich capacity reserve to protect our people and our interests."
According to Reuters, relevant supply data have been circulating within the federal government over the past week. At the same time, intense discussions took place within the Trump administration regarding how long the United States can continue to pressure Iran, without causing its inventories to fall to a level that would endanger the military's ability to respond to crises in other regions.
According to two sources, military senior officials have repeatedly warned the president that the inventory of defensive weapons, including the 'Patriot' interceptor missiles capable of effectively intercepting ballistic missiles, is decreasing.
Last week, several media reports stated that Trump decided not to launch another large-scale offensive against Iran. Part of the reason was that his military advisors had warned about the military stockpiles in the United States. American officials countered that Trump chose not to pursue another attack due to pressure from Gulf countries.
