WASHINGTON – The US military is running dangerously low on some of its most advanced and expensive weapons after just 67 days of the illegal US-Israeli war against Iran, according to internal Pentagon estimates and congressional officials cited by The New York Times.
The conflict – which critics say violates the UN Charter, as it was not authorized by the Security Council nor justified as self-defense – has consumed munitions at a rate that has shocked even Pentagon planners.
What has been used
Since the war began on February 28, the US military has fired:
| Weapon System | Quantity Used | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Long-range stealth cruise missiles (built for war with China) | ~1,100 | Nearly the total remaining in US stockpile |
| Tomahawk cruise missiles | ~1,000 | About 10 times the annual purchase rate |
| Patriot interceptor missiles | ~1,200 | Cost over $4 million each |
| Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles | ~1,000 | Critical ground-attack munitions |
What this means for US readiness
Pentagon officials say the war has forced the US to rush bombs, missiles, and other hardware to the Middle East from commands in Asia and Europe. This has left those regional commands less ready to confront potential adversaries such as Russia and China.
Restoring the US global stockpile to its earlier level will require difficult choices about where to maintain military strength in the meantime.
The cost so far
White House officials have not officially estimated the total cost of the conflict, but two independent groups have put it between 28-35 billion – just under $1 billion per day.
Defense officials told lawmakers that in the first two days alone, the military used $5.6 billion worth of munitions.
Production concerns
The war has underscored the Pentagon’s reliance on costly missiles and munitions, especially air-defense interceptors. It has also raised concerns about whether the defense industry can produce cheaper weapons – especially attack drones – much more quickly.
The Pentagon has had to find ways to increase production to make up for the losses.
What the Pentagon is not saying
The Defense Department has not disclosed exactly how many munitions it used during the war. The Pentagon has said it hit more than 13,000 targets, but officials say that figure does not reflect the full scale of bomb and missile use, as warplanes and attack aircraft usually strike large targets multiple times.
The bottom line
Sixty-seven days into the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran, the US military has burned through weapons stockpiles built for a war with China. Tomahawk missiles are being used at 10 times the rate they are being purchased. Patriot interceptors costing 4millioneachhavebeenfiredbythethousand.Andthebillsofar?Nearly1 billion per day.
The war is not just draining the Treasury. It is draining America’s ability to fight anywhere else.
