Key facts
- The US defense department's inspector general confirmed "shortfalls" in munitions due to the war with Iran.
- The US spent over $33 billion on the war from February 28 to June 30.
- The inspector general's report noted "industrial base bottlenecks" for munitions resupply.
- Stocks of some interceptors, such as the Patriot missile and THAAD, were depleted by more than half, according to a late July estimate.
- Equipment losses have totaled $3.7 billion, with other expenditures of $7.4 billion.
- The war is unpopular among Americans, with only 23% believing the US is in a stronger position with Iran compared to before hostilities.
The US defense department's inspector general has confirmed that the ongoing war with Iran has led to "shortfalls" in munitions and a bottleneck in resupply, directly contradicting President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that US munitions supplies are "virtually unlimited" and that reports of shortages are "fake news". The independent watchdog's report, which offers a rare glimpse into typically classified US weapons stockpiles, found that the US spent over $33 billion on the war between February 28 and June 30, including more than $22 billion on munitions. This expenditure has resulted in "strategic inventory shortfalls" and "industrial base bottlenecks" for resupply.
US forces have expended significant quantities of air and missile defense systems, such as Patriot missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, to counter Iranian attacks. A late July estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicated that stocks of some interceptors were depleted by more than half. The inspector general's report did not specify remaining inventory levels but highlighted the need for the defense department to "streamline procurement processes and production lead times" to address the shortages.
Despite the inspector general's findings, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described news reports on shortages as "not true" in an August X post. Trump echoed this sentiment in a September Truth Social post, claiming the US was "stockpiling and preparing for any contingency". The report also noted equipment losses totaling $3.7 billion, including four F-15e fighter jets, an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and 30 MQ-9 drones. Public opinion polls indicate the war is unpopular, with a September Reuters/Ipsos poll finding only 23% of Americans believe the US is in a stronger position with Iran than before the conflict.