04.08.2026 18:21
Sources speaking to Reuters said the US has used nearly all of its long-range precision missiles in a war with Iran, a situation that could limit deterrence against Russia and China. The Pentagon, however, argued that the military has all necessary capabilities.
According to the British news agency Reuters, the US military consumed a large portion of its long-range missiles with high accuracy rates during the 5-month war with Iran.
"NEARLY ALL WERE USED"
In its exclusive report based on 3 sources, the Reuters news agency stated that the US used "nearly all" of its long-range precision missiles during the attacks on Iran. It was stated that these missiles were known as the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), which are surface-to-surface missiles. The sources expressed concern that the dwindling missile supply could limit the US's ability to deter rivals, including Russia and China.
"WEAPONS WERE USED FOR ATTACKS ON IRAN"
A fourth person with knowledge of the matter stated that the US Central Command, which conducts operations in the Middle East, consumed nearly all of the ground-based missiles it had before the war began, but has been replenishing them from military stocks in other countries.
One of the sources said the reduction of ATACMS and PrSM stocks was a decision by the Trump administration to avoid riskier methods, such as dropping bombs from manned aircraft, in strikes on Iranian targets. Analysts note that these weapons would be valuable in a war against an enemy with strong air defenses, such as China, as they allow the military to strike targets from a distance. According to a report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in March, these weapons were used to strike targets inside Iran.
"TRUMP STOPPED THE ATTACKS DUE TO PRESSURE FROM THE GULF"
According to two sources, military officials had been warning President Donald Trump for weeks that stocks of defensive weapons, including Patriot missile defense systems effective against ballistic missiles, were dwindling. Last week, various media outlets suggested that one of the reasons Trump decided not to launch a large-scale attack on Iran was the warning from his military advisors about US stocks. A US official, however, said this claim was not true, stating that Trump abandoned the attack due to pressure from Gulf countries.
RESPONSE FROM THE PENTAGON
Sean Parnell, spokesperson for the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), said in a statement to Reuters, "The US military is the most powerful military in the world and has everything it needs to conduct operations at the time and place determined by the President. While ensuring the US military has a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and interests, we have conducted many successful operations across combatant commands."
"DEFENSIVE WEAPON STOCKS ALSO DECREASED"
Last week, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) stated that approximately 65 percent of Patriot missile defense systems were used between February and July, and the number of THAAD ballistic missile defense systems decreased by at least 38 percent compared to the beginning of the war. The Patriot and THAAD systems detect and destroy incoming missiles and are among the most effective systems in the country's arsenal. One of the sources reported that the US has also consumed nearly half of its stock of Tomahawk cruise missiles, typically launched from ships, since the beginning of the war.