The US military has significantly depleted key munitions stockpiles since it launched the war on Iran, The New York Times reported, citing internal defense estimates and congressional officials. 

According to the report, officials say around 1,100 long-range stealth cruise missiles have been used, close to the total remaining US stockpile, along with more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, roughly ten times the annual procurement rate. The military also fired over 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles, raising concerns over depleted inventories.

The 38-day war, which ended in a cease-fire two weeks ago, has forced the Pentagon to transfer weapons from commands in Asia and Europe to the Middle East, potentially reducing readiness in other regions amid tensions with Russia and China.

The war has also intensified debate over reliance on high-cost missile systems and the defense industry’s ability to rapidly produce cheaper alternatives, including attack drones.

While the Pentagon has not disclosed total expenditure, independent estimates place the cost of the war at between $28 billion and $35 billion, with $5.6 billion spent in the first two days alone.

Replenishment debate puts Trump admin. under fire

The heavy use of munitions during the US-Israeli war on Iran has raised concerns in Washington about how quickly depleted stockpiles can be restored and how the US can maintain global readiness in the meantime.

Senator Jack Reed said rebuilding inventories “at current production rates… could take years,” warning of difficult trade-offs in sustaining military strength across regions.

Analysts say shortages predated the war. “The United States has many munitions with adequate inventories, but some critical ground-attack and missile-defense munitions were short before the war and are even shorter now,” Mark F. Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told The New York Times.

The White House rejected claims of vulnerability. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US has “the most powerful military in the world,” with enough weapons “to effectively defend the homeland and achieve any military operation directed by the commander in chief.”

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell declined to comment on stockpile details, citing operational security.

Lawmakers, including Senator Mitch McConnell, have pushed for higher munitions spending, a priority also backed by War Secretary Pete Hegseth. In January, the administration announced deals with firms such as Lockheed Martin to expand missile production and increase output of precision-guided munitions and THAAD interceptors.

However, officials say the expansion has not begun, as the Pentagon awaits congressional funding.

Running on empty

As the war on Iran continues, the more immediate battlefield concern in Washington is shifting from targets struck to weapons running low and what gets left exposed as a result.

The Pentagon has already used roughly 1,100 JASSM-ER long-range stealth cruise missiles since the war began, leaving about 1,500 in reserve. CSIS analysts warn that the pace of Tomahawk and other missile use is starting to carry consequences far beyond the region, noting that it “creates risks for the United States in other theaters, particularly the Western Pacific,” with remaining Tomahawk stocks estimated at around 3,000.

Air defense systems are under similar pressure. More than 1,200 Patriot interceptors have been fired, while only about 600 were produced in 2025, an imbalance that highlights how quickly even high-end stockpiles can be drawn down in sustained operations.

The financial toll is also stacking up, with estimates placing the cost of the war between $25 billion and $35 billion. Analysts from both CSIS and the American Enterprise Institute converge on figures in the high tens of billions, underscoring the scale of sustained expenditure.

And the war has not only drained stockpiles; it has burned through hardware in unexpected ways. During a US mission to extract a soldier trapped in Iran after his warplane was downed, two MC-130 aircraft and at least three MH-6 helicopters were destroyed, turning a failed extraction into a $275 million loss.

Source:Websites