U.S. Depletes Majority of Long-Range Missile Stockpiles Amid Iran Conflict
U.S. officials say most Army Tactical Missile Systems and Precision Strike Missiles have been expended, while inventories of Patriot and THAAD interceptors have sharply declined.
Washington officials report that the United States has used virtually all of its Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles in the ongoing war with Iran. The depletion follows earlier reports that the U.S. inventory of long-range precision munitions is dwindling and that the rate of use may outpace replacement capabilities.
U.S. defense officials also indicated that the most pressing shortfall concerns Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. A July analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that Patriot missiles fell from 2,330 before the conflict to between 759 and 827 by the end of July, while THAAD interceptors dropped from 452 to between 234 and 278. The same source projected that restoring pre-war inventory levels could take until at least mid-2029.
"America's military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President's choosing," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told CBS News.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously dismissed media reports on the issue, calling them a "manufactured story" and asserting that U.S. stockpiles remain strong.
President Trump announced a pause in strikes on Iran to allow diplomatic talks over the Strait of Hormuz, while warning that further large-scale attacks could resume if his demands are not met. "I want to give them every last chance before decapitation," he said from the Oval Office.