US Starting to Run Out of Interceptors Since War with Iran

JAKARTA - The United States military's stockpile of main interceptor missiles has shrunk drastically since the war with Iran began.

According to a CNN report citing sources familiar with the matter and the results of the latest inventory assessment, the US military uses almost 80 percent of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missile inventory and about half of the Patriot missile stock.

A number of senior US commanders have privately described the Pentagon's ammunition reserves as being at "very low" levels. The depletion of THAAD missile stocks has also added to concerns that have previously emerged regarding Patriot missile stocks.

According to the report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that the US had around 2,200 of the latest variant of Patriot missiles and 452 THAAD missiles before the conflict with Iran began.

As reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, August 5, the Gulf countries that rely on US-made air defense systems are said to have warned that dwindling stocks of the missiles could weaken their ability to deal with Iranian missile and drone attacks, especially if there is a retaliatory attack after the next US military action.

CNN also reported that dwindling missile supplies were one of the considerations for President Donald Trump to cancel plans for additional attacks on Iran last weekend.

The decision was taken after a number of US allies in the Gulf region expressed concern that their energy infrastructure could be the target of Iranian retaliation.

Responding to the report, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the US military still had the necessary capabilities to carry out any operation according to presidential decisions.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told CNN that the US still has more than enough ammunition and missile supplies to meet President Trump's goals.

CNN also reported that the supply of Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), and Tomahawk cruise missiles has also been significantly reduced.

According to the report, the Pentagon is currently receiving only about 15 new Tomahawk missiles and 20 Patriot missiles each month. Analysts estimate that it will take at least three years to restore THAAD missile stocks to pre-war levels.