The remarks come amid reports that the Pentagon is weighing the impact of dwindling interceptor supplies as tensions with Iran continue….reports Asian Lite News Desk
US President Donald Trump has rejected reports that the United States is facing a critical shortage of air defence missiles, insisting the country’s military has more than enough munitions despite concerns raised by defence officials over ongoing operations involving Iran.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Trump dismissed suggestions that dwindling interceptor stockpiles were limiting US military options.
“We have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need,” Trump said.
His remarks followed a New York Times report that senior military officials had privately warned the administration about declining supplies of Patriot and other air defence interceptors.
According to the report, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine cautioned during internal discussions that interceptor reserves could be significantly depleted if military operations against Iran were expanded.
The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, believes American forces can manage existing inventories by intensifying strikes against Iran’s missile-launching capabilities, subject to presidential approval, to reduce the need for defensive interceptors.
The newspaper also reported that White House officials declined to release updated figures on the number of Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors used since the conflict began, arguing that such information could compromise national security.
However, according to updated estimates by analysts Mark Cancian and Chris Park of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, the United States has used at least 1,500 Patriot interceptors since the conflict began, leaving fewer than 1,000 in its inventory.
In an earlier assessment published in April, the analysts warned that shrinking missile stockpiles posed a near-term operational risk and cautioned that a future conflict with a major military power such as China would consume munitions at an even faster rate.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell maintained that the US military retains all the capabilities needed to carry out any mission ordered by the President.
The Wall Street Journal reported that concerns over missile defences intensified after three US service members were killed in Jordan last week when an Iranian ballistic missile struck a housing area at a military base.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio said most incoming missiles targeting the base had been intercepted, US officials told the newspaper that Iran has been adapting its missile tactics by altering flight paths, speeds and manoeuvres to make interception more difficult, increasing demand for defensive missiles.
The report also said Gulf allies are facing similar challenges after using substantial portions of their own interceptor stockpiles.
According to The New York Times, Trump recently decided against authorising a broader military offensive against Iran after senior defence officials warned that such an escalation could further deplete critical air defence inventories across the Middle East.
The newspaper reported that military and administration officials also expressed concern that lower interceptor reserves could leave US forces, regional partners and key installations more vulnerable to retaliatory attacks while increasing the risk of wider regional instability.
Iran, meanwhile, reported no overnight bombardment on Saturday, marking a pause after nearly two weeks of sustained US military strikes.
