US has used almost all of its long-range precision missiles including ATACMS and PrSM in Iran war: Report

As the US-Iran conflict enters its sixth month, Washington has nearly depleted its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles, sparking concerns over the war's future. According to Reuters, the US has utilized virtually all of its Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) during the first five months of hostilities, which commenced on February 28.

The PrSM, a more advanced missile, is intended to eventually replace the ATACMS, which has a shorter range. These sophisticated munitions, costing over $1 million each, play a crucial role in the military's arsenal, enabling precise strikes from a safe distance. However, Reuters reports that the US now faces limited inventories of these long-range missiles, with a pressing concern being the rapid depletion of Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors.

These systems, designed to detect and neutralize incoming missiles, have been utilized faster than manufacturers can replenish them. A Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report last month estimated that before the war began, the US possessed 2,330 Patriots and 452 THAAD interceptors, but as of July 27, those numbers had plummeted to between 759-827 Patriots and 234-278 THAADs.

The CSIS also projected that it might take until at least mid-2029 to restore pre-war inventory levels for both Patriot and THAAD systems. Additionally, the US has consumed almost half of its global supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles, which are typically launched from ships, since the war's onset, as per the Reuters report. While ATACMS, PrSM, and THAAD systems are produced by Lockheed Martin, Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors are manufactured by Raytheon.

Military leaders have been warning President Trump about the dwindling stocks of defensive weapons for weeks, according to two unnamed sources. Last week, several media outlets reported that Trump had decided against launching another large-scale offensive inside Iran, citing warnings from his military advisers about the dwindling US stockpiles.

However, a US official contradicted those accounts, stating that Trump had postponed another attack due to pressure from Gulf states. An unnamed source told Reuters that despite the extensive use of precision weapons, the US can still resupply from around the world. In response to Reuters' report on the stockpile data, the White House issued a statement from Trump, asserting that the US possesses "far more munitions than anyone in the world" and that his defense companies are currently producing more munitions than ever before.