Fresh reports have raised concerns over America’s missile reserves after massive interceptor deployments during the Iran conflict forced a pause in Taiwan-bound arms transfers.
File photo of a US THAAD missile interceptor system during a launch operation. Reports say heavy interceptor use during the Iran conflict has strained US inventories. (Photo: ANI)
The United States has depleted a substantial portion of its advanced missile defence inventory after taking on the bulk of Israel’s air defence operations during the recent conflict with Iran, according to a report published by The Washington Post.
The revelations have triggered fresh concerns in Washington over the Pentagon’s ability to sustain military commitments across multiple theatres simultaneously, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where allies such as Taiwan, Japan and South Korea remain heavily dependent on the American security umbrella.
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According to The Washington Post, the US launched more than 200 THAAD interceptors during the conflict to shield Israel from incoming Iranian attacks. In addition, US naval forces in the eastern Mediterranean reportedly fired more than 100 SM-3 and SM-6 interceptors.
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Officials quoted by the newspaper said the scale of deployment has consumed nearly half of America’s stockpile of some advanced missile defence systems.
Israel, meanwhile, reportedly used fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and around 90 David’s Sling interceptors during the conflict, including against projectiles launched by Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Lebanon.
Military analysts cited in the report described the figures as an unusually revealing look into the operational burden-sharing between Washington and Tel Aviv.
“The numbers are striking. The United States absorbed most of the missile defense mission while Israel conserved its own magazines,” Kelly Grieco, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, told The Washington Post.
She added that the US is now left with roughly 200 THAAD interceptors while production capacity remains limited.
Another US official quoted by the newspaper said the US ended up engaging nearly twice as many Iranian missiles compared to Israel during the conflict.
The report also noted that some Israeli missile defence batteries are expected to be temporarily taken offline for maintenance, potentially increasing pressure on US systems if hostilities resume.
In a parallel development, The Hill reported that the US has paused a proposed USD 14 billion arms package for Taiwan amid growing concern over weapons stockpiles following the Iran conflict.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing that the pause was linked to ensuring sufficient munitions availability for “Operation Epic Fury”.
“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury,” Cao said.
The proposed Taiwan package is reportedly under review even as Beijing continues to increase military pressure around the island.
US President Donald Trump also appeared to link the matter to ongoing discussions with China.
“I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens,” Trump told Fox News, according to The Hill.
Despite growing debate over inventory levels, senior US officials have publicly dismissed suggestions that the military is running low on critical weapons systems.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the operational balance between the US and Israel, saying both countries “carried the defensive burden equitably” during “Operation Epic Fury”.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also rejected concerns over depleted stockpiles.
“We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need,” Hegseth told lawmakers last week.
Still, the reports suggest the White House may soon seek between USD 80 billion and USD 100 billion in additional Congressional funding linked to the Iran conflict, much of it expected to replenish missile and interceptor inventories used during the 12-week war.
The conflict has remained under a fragile ceasefire since early April.
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