US uses ‘virtually all’ long-range precision missiles in Iran war

The United States military has expended nearly its entire global stockpile of key surface-to-surface long-range precision missiles during its five-month military campaign against Iran, Reuters reported, raising sharp concerns among military planners about global combat readiness.

Citing three sources familiar with federal inventory data, the Reuters report revealed that American stocks of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the new-generation Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) have been depleted to critical levels. Two of the sources confirmed to the news agency that the military has used “virtually all” of its available global inventory for these weapons.

The land-based, precision-guided munitions—which cost upwards of $1 million per unit—allow commanders to hit high-value targets deep within heavily defended enemy territory without risking piloted aircraft.

While the sources declined to state exact figures for remaining stockpiles, military analysts cited by the report warned that the rapid burn rate severely limits Washington’s ability to deter or engage adversaries with advanced integrated air defenses, particularly China and Russia.

The heavy reliance on standoff precision strikes reflects a strategy aimed at minimizing risks to American pilots. However, a fourth source told Reuters that US Central Command (CENTCOM)—which oversees Middle East operations—has virtually exhausted its localized pre-war stocks, forcing the Pentagon to draw heavily on global arsenals to keep pace with operational demands.

The supply pressure extends beyond surface strike weapons:

• Tomahawk Cruise Missiles: The US Navy has fired nearly half of its global inventory of Tomahawks, predominantly launched from destroyers and submarines, according to the report.
• Patriot Interceptors: Air defense stocks are similarly strained, with an estimated 65% of the global Patriot interceptor inventory expended between February and July 2026.
• THAAD Systems: Inventory for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile interceptor has dropped by at least 38% over the same five-month period.

The depletion comes despite initial expectations from President Trump, who launched the military campaign alongside Israel in February, predicting a short conflict. Instead, the persistent campaign has triggered debate within the administration over how long Washington can sustain current fire rates without compromising strategic readiness elsewhere.

White House and Pentagon Rebuttal

However, the White House has dismissed concerns over military readiness, asserting that the American defense industrial base is operating at unprecedented capacity.

“We have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need,” President Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

“Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels.”

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also rejected assertions that operational capabilities had been compromised.

“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,” Parnell stated to Reuters.

Despite official assurances, defense analysts caution that manufacturing capacity for complex, high-precision missiles like PrSM and ATACMS—produced primarily by Lockheed Martin—cannot easily match multi-month combat consumption, leaving a multi-year gap before stockpiles can fully recover.