Trump in a spot? US nearly uses up its stockpile of long-range precision missiles in war with Iran

The US has reportedly used nearly all of its global stockpile of highly accurate long-range surface-to-surface missiles during its five-month conflict with Iran, according to a report. This has raised concerns within the Trump administration about the military's readiness for future conflicts.

According to a report in Bloomberg that cited sources, the missiles include the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and the newer Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), both essential to the US Army's long-range precision strike capability. Two sources said the US has used "virtually all" of these missiles but did not specify how many remain.

These missiles, each costing over $1 million, allow the US military to strike targets accurately from long distances without risking piloted aircraft against enemy air defences. ATACMS have also been significant in Ukraine by enabling strikes inside Russia, while the PrSM is being introduced as a longer-range replacement.

MUST READ | 'Losing every step of the way': 25 states challenge Trump's latest 10-12.5% import tariffs on 60 nations including India 

The depletion of these stockpiles means President Donald Trump may have to rely more on riskier piloted bombing missions if large-scale attacks on Iran resume, the report added. Three of the sources cited expressed concern that shrinking missile inventories could weaken the United States' ability to deter adversaries like Russia and China.

A fourth source said US Central Command has been replenishing supplies by drawing from military stockpiles worldwide and that the US remains capable of resupplying.

Responding to questions about the stockpile levels, Trump said the US has "far more munitions than anyone in the world" and "far more than we need." He added that US defence companies are producing more munitions than ever while expanding manufacturing capacity.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed concerns, stating the US military "has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President's choosing" and maintains a deep arsenal to protect American interests.

DON'T MISS | Trump says shelved Iran strike would have been 'biggest since WW2'; diplomacy talks begin today

According to the report, internal discussions over the past week have focused on how long the US can sustain strikes on Iran without reducing stockpiles to levels that could limit its response to crises elsewhere.

One source said the heavy use of ATACMS and PrSM reflected a decision by the Trump administration to avoid riskier attacks using piloted aircraft against Iranian targets.

Concerns also extend to defensive weapons. A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies last week stated that about 65% of Patriot interceptor missiles and at least 38% of THAAD interceptor stockpiles were used between February and July. Two sources said these estimates matched internal US data.