Pentagon flags risk of interceptor shortage amid escalating Iran war
As the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran entered its fourth day, fresh concerns have emerged from within the Pentagon that a prolonged campaign could strain America’s critical missile stockpiles.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, US defence officials have warned that if strikes against Iran continue for another 10 days, stocks of key munitions — particularly interceptor missiles — could begin to run dangerously low.
Trump orders strikes after nuclear talks frustration
On Friday afternoon, US President Donald Trump told reporters he was dissatisfied with the progress of nuclear negotiations with Iran. Within hours, he authorised a military operation that eliminated several senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military commanders.
Iran retaliated by targeting US bases in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq using missiles and drones, further escalating tensions across the region.
Despite internal warnings, Trump sought to project confidence. In a post on Truth Social, he claimed US munitions stockpiles were at unprecedented levels.
“The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better – As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies,” he wrote.
Although the President said the campaign could last “four to five weeks,” he indicated it might continue even longer if necessary.
Which weapons are at risk?
Analysts cited by Al Jazeera said interceptor missiles — crucial for air and missile defence — are among the systems most vulnerable to depletion.
A February 23 report in The Wall Street Journal revealed that Pentagon officials and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had warned Trump about the risks of an extended conflict. They highlighted that shortages of critical munitions could hamper efforts to counter Iranian retaliation.
US reserves have already been strained due to military assistance to allies such as Israel and Ukraine. During last year’s confrontation with Iran, the US reportedly used 25% of its THAAD interceptors — firing around 150 missiles to counter Iranian attacks. Media reports also suggested US naval forces ran out of certain ship-borne interceptors during that conflict.
The report cautions that supplies of advanced precision-guided munitions and key systems like the THAAD missile defence shield could be rapidly exhausted in a prolonged campaign. Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which convert conventional bombs into precision-guided weapons, are also under pressure.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the imbalance in production rates. “They are producing, by some estimates, over 100 of these missiles a month. Compare that to the six or seven interceptors that can be built a month,” Rubio said.
Inventories of the ship-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) are also reportedly low due to limited manufacturing capacity and repeated deployments against Yemen’s Houthi militants and Iranian threats.
The mounting financial cost
The first 24 hours of strikes alone reportedly cost the US approximately $779 million (nearly Rs 6,900 crore).
Data from the Center for New American Security indicates that operating a carrier strike group such as the USS Gerald R. Ford — the world’s largest aircraft carrier — costs around $6.5 million per day.
Ahead of the strikes that killed Khamenei and other senior figures, the US deployed two carrier strike groups to the Middle East. The estimated cost of the pre-strike military build-up, including repositioning aircraft and mobilising naval assets, is said to be around $630 million (Rs 5,556 crore).
If the conflict drags on, the financial burden could escalate dramatically. Kent Smetters, director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, estimated that a prolonged war could ultimately cost the US up to $210 billion (Rs 18.87 lakh crore).
Since October 7, 2023 — when Hamas attacked Israel — the US has already provided $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel. According to Brown University’s 2025 Costs of War report, total US spending on operations linked to Israel, Yemen, Iran and the broader Middle East ranges between $31.35 billion and $33.77 billion.
With both military stockpiles and financial costs under scrutiny, questions are mounting over the sustainability of an extended campaign if hostilities continue to intensify.
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