Published On 4/24/2026
The New York Times said that the American war on Iran has greatly depleted a large portion of the American army’s ammunition stock, forcing the Pentagon to transfer military equipment stationed in Asia and Europe to the Middle East.
Yesterday, Thursday, the American newspaper, citing defense officials, said that the US army used ammunition worth $5.6 billion in the first two days of the war on Iran, which broke out on February 28.
The New York Times reported – based on estimates issued by the Pentagon and Congressional officials – that the US Army used more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles during the war, at a cost exceeding $4 million per missile.
She also said that the Pentagon used more than 1,000 precision-strike missiles and land-based Atakum missiles, leaving stocks at “worryingly low” levels, as she put it.
In the opposite direction, the New York Times quoted the White House spokeswoman as saying, “What is being said is completely baseless, and the army is equipped with more weapons and ammunition than it needs.”
Accelerated depletion
However, a number of media reports and reliable American research centers indicate that there was an “accelerated depletion” in American ammunition stocks during Operation “Epic Rage” against Iran.
According to what was reported by the American “Air and Space Forces” magazine, which specializes in defense, aviation and space affairs, estimates show an excessive and unprecedented use of interceptor missiles and precision munitions.
The magazine confirmed – in a report – that the Pentagon has redistributed part of its military resources from theaters of operations in Asia and Europe towards the Middle East, with the aim of meeting the increasing demand for ammunition in the war on Tehran.
The magazine expected that the Pentagon would go to Congress to request additional funds for weapons and ammunition as part of a supplemental spending request, although it has not yet decided to take this step.
The United States attacked more than 13,000 targets in Iran. It also intercepted more than 1,700 Iranian ballistic missiles and unidirectional attack drones, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Kaine.
This fighting has consumed a large portion of the United States’ stockpile of vital munitions, according to a recent analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
According to the center’s estimates, the United States used about 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, compared to a pre-war stock of 3,100, and more than 1,000 “Jassem” missiles, compared to a pre-war stock of 4,400 missiles.
The center also estimates that the United States used more than 1,000 Patriot interceptor missiles and hundreds of THAAD missiles in its attempt to repel Iranian attacks on American bases and countries in the region.
