The United States has burned through a dramatic share of its most important missile-defense interceptors during the war with Iran, raising concerns about Washington’s ability to protect its forces and regional allies if the fighting intensifies.
According to CNN, sources who reviewed a recent inventory assessment said the U.S. military had used nearly 80% of the THAAD interceptors it possessed before the war and approximately half of its Patriot interceptors. Senior military commanders reportedly warned that some Pentagon munitions reserves had fallen to “dangerously low” levels.
THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, is designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes. Patriot systems operate at lower levels and can be used against ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft and other aerial threats. Together, the two systems form a central part of the defensive shield protecting American bases and allies across the Middle East.
The precise size of the remaining U.S. inventory is classified, and public estimates differ. The Center for Strategic and International Studies recently estimated that fewer than 1,000 Patriot interceptors and approximately 250 THAAD interceptors remained in American inventories. Reuters reported separate figures indicating that roughly 65% of Patriot interceptors had been expended, while the THAAD inventory was at least 38% smaller than it had been at the beginning of the war.
The shortages have caused particular concern among Gulf states that depend heavily on American missile-defense systems. Regional officials fear that another major escalation could leave U.S. bases, energy facilities and critical infrastructure vulnerable to Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.
Those concerns were raised directly with Trump during conversations over the weekend. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates urged the president to avoid another large-scale attack, warning that Iran could retaliate against oil, gas and electricity infrastructure throughout the Gulf.
Trump later said a major American operation had been prepared but that he decided to give diplomacy additional time after speaking with Gulf leaders. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly warned that renewed fighting could have severe consequences for the global economy if Iran struck U.S.-allied energy producers.
According to CNN’s account, the declining interceptor inventory was among the considerations discussed before Trump suspended the planned strikes. The military option has not been removed, but the Pentagon was ordered to wait while negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz continued.
The concern extends far beyond the Middle East. American commanders have warned that continued consumption at the current rate could weaken U.S. readiness for other potential conflicts, particularly a confrontation with China in the western Pacific. Reuters reported that the United States has also used virtually all of some categories of long-range precision missiles and slightly less than half of its global Tomahawk cruise-missile inventory during the five-month war.
Washington is attempting to accelerate production. Planned industrial expansion would sharply increase the annual output of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, but rebuilding the depleted inventories is expected to take years rather than months.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later rejected CNN’s description of the stockpiles as “dangerously low,” calling the report “NOT TRUE.” Pentagon and White House officials have maintained that the U.S. military still possesses enough weapons to carry out Trump’s strategic objectives.
