The US military used “almost all” of its precision-guided missiles during the five-month war with Iran. These are ATACMS missile systems and PrSM strike missiles.
Reuters reports this, citing sources.
Previously, the US Armed Forces did not disclose how many of these missiles were used in the war with Iran. Journalists specify that long-range munitions are an important component of the American arsenal, as they allow for precise strikes from a safe distance. The sources did not say exactly how many missiles of each type remain in the US.
Three people familiar with the situation said the reduction in missile stockpiles could limit the United Statesʼ ability to deter potential adversaries, including Russia and China. A fourth source said that US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, has almost completely depleted its stockpile of ground-based missiles.
The White House responded to reporters’ questions as follows:
“The country has significantly more ammunition than any other country in the world, and far more than it needs.”
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report said that the US stockpile of PrSM missiles was initially small, as it is a relatively new type of munition. However, the US military has ordered a large number of these missiles for 2027.
In addition, from February to July of this year, the US military lost about 65% of its Patriot interceptor missiles, and the number of THAAD ballistic missile interceptors was at least 38% lower than at the beginning of the war with Iran. The journalistsʼ interlocutors said that these figures are consistent with internal US data.
What preceded
On June 18, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding committing to a 60-day ceasefire. But on July 8, the sides exchanged blows again, with Iran striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US striking targets on Iranian territory.
Then US President Donald Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding was no longer in effect. Already on July 10, he reported that Iran had asked to continue peace talks. According to him, the US agreed, but emphasized that the truce was over.
On July 21, Axios, citing sources, reported that the US Presidential Administration is considering a 10-day ceasefire between the US and Iran. At the same time, Washington continues to increase its military presence in the Middle East, preparing to expand hostilities.
On July 24, Donald Trump reported the cessation of strikes on Iranian targets. WSJ wrote that this may be due to a shortage of American air defense missiles. Before that, the United States had been striking Iran daily for almost two weeks, and Tehran said it was suspending operations in response because its strategy consisted only of “mirror actions”.
On July 27, Trump told Axios that Washington and Tehran were in “very deep talks”. At the same time, he warned that if diplomacy did not work, the US would again resort to harsh military action.
On the night of July 30, the US military launched a series of strikes on Iran after a pause of almost a week. They said it was a "powerful response" to Iranʼs attempt the previous day to launch a missile strike on US troops in the Middle East.
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