US military depletes nearly 80% of key missile interceptors amid Iran war: Report

The US military has drawn down almost 80% of its critical missile-interceptor stockpile and about half of its Patriot missiles since the war with Iran began, according to a CNN report on Tuesday.

Citing sources familiar with the matter and a recent inventory assessment, the CNN report said senior American commanders have privately described the Pentagon's overall munitions reserves as "dangerously low," with the previously unreported Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) shortfall adding to existing concern about Patriot supplies.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that Washington held roughly 2,200 of its most modern Patriot variants and 452 THAAD missiles before the conflict started, according to the report.

The Gulf states that depend on US-supplied air defenses have warned that the shortages could weaken their capacity to intercept Iranian missiles and drones, particularly if they come under retaliatory fire following any further American strikes, it said.

The report also claimed that the depleted stockpiles factored into President Donald Trump's decision last weekend to call off additional strikes on Iran, after Gulf allies told him they feared retaliation against their energy infrastructure.

"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 spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told CNN that the US has "more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles" to meet Trump's goals.

The Army Tactical Missile System and Precision Strike Missile inventories have also been heavily drawn down, while nearly half of the US Tomahawk stockpile has been expended, CNN reported, following its earlier report in April that put Tomahawk usage at close to 30%.

Replenishment remains slow, with the Pentagon receiving about 15 new Tomahawks and 20 new Patriot missiles per month, while analysts estimated it could take three years or more to restore THAAD stockpiles to pre-war levels.