The US has exhausted its stockpile of sophisticated long-range missiles during the war on Iran, suggesting that there are supply limits to President Donald Trump’s threat to subject the Islamic Republic to the “biggest attack” since World War II.
The US has drained its supply of surface-to-surface weapons, known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources who said the US had used “virtually all” of these munitions.
These long-range missiles are a critical part of the US’s arsenal, allowing it to accurately target foes from a distance without relying on warplanes that are vulnerable to air defence systems.
Reuters reported that US Central Command – which oversees military operations in the Middle East – has had to replenish its stock of surface-to-surface missiles from other theatres of operation.
The US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February. Fighting has flared throughout the summer despite a June ceasefire brokered through the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the two sides.
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The US pulled some air defence systems and troops from East Asia at the beginning of the war. Ukraine, which is battling a Russian invasion, has used US-supplied ATACMS to target Russia.
Depleted defensive weapons
The Trump administration boasted for months during the height of the war that Iran’s air defence systems have been obliterated, but Middle East Eye and other outlets reported that Iran has received new systems from China and Russia.
An F-15E warplane was shot down over Iran in April, sparking a massive manhunt for the crew. If Iran had captured the pilot, it would have been a big bargaining chip in ceasefire talks.
In addition to offensive munitions, the US was running low on missile and drone interceptors before the war. The shortage was a reflection of US efforts to defend Israel during a war in June 2025 that culminated in the US bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.
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Reuters reported that US military leaders have for weeks warned Trump that stockpiles of defensive weapons, including Patriot interceptors, were also dwindling.
The report was seen as a vindication for critics of the war that the conflict is sapping the US’s military prestige and draining precious resources.
“CENTCOM used everything they had before the war and have drawn down from rest of the world to critical levels,” Saagar Enjeti, a conservative commentator and host of Breaking Points, who has argued against foreign intervention, wrote on X.
“Thank you FDD and UANI for the wonderful policies you have been advocating for. They have made America stronger!” Amir Handjani, a board member of the Quincy Institute think-tank in Washington, wrote on X, referring to the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and United Against Nuclear Iran, which critics say lobbied on behalf of the war.
The report comes after Trump backtracked on a pledge to unleash massive new strikes against Iran.
Trump said he planned to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II” on Iran last week. He backtracked on Monday, saying Gulf states asked him not to escalate the fight and claimed that a deal to return to the ceasefire is being negotiated.
“I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump said Monday.
Iran has denied it is in direct talks with the US.
