Exclusive: US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say

The U.S. military is facing an "incredibly critical" shortage of advanced Patriot missile interceptors in Europe, largely due to President Donald Trump's war with Iran, according to U.S. defense and NATO officials. This shortage has raised concerns about NATO countries' vulnerability to potential Russian attacks. The most concerning shortfall is in Patriot missile interceptors, which can shoot down high-speed Russian ballistic missiles.

NATO officials confirm the low inventories of Patriots among American and NATO forces in Europe, stating that the U.S. does not have enough Patriots to stop a sustained ballistic missile attack and would have limited capability to defend against a single missile strike or an off-course Russian missile. The situation highlights the impact of Trump's decision to launch a war against Iran, which has led to the diversion of U.S. missile stocks to the Middle East for use in thwarting Iranian drones and missiles.

While a Russian ballistic missile attack against NATO countries is not expected in the near future, CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Russia against attacking during a visit to Moscow. European and NATO officials believe Russia could potentially attack alliance countries by 2030. In the meantime, Russia's war in Ukraine may hinder its ability to carry out a missile attack on Europe.

The U.S. military in Europe is also grappling with shortages of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), a medium-range ballistic missile designed to strike behind enemy lines. However, overall munitions in Europe are less dire due to the presence of some European militaries that possess their own long-range air-launched bunker-busting missiles like Taurus and Storm Shadow.