Key facts
- A Pentagon inspector general report confirms "shortfalls" in US munitions and "industrial base bottlenecks" for resupply due to the war on Iran.
- The US spent $33.4 billion on the war from February 28 to June 30, with $22.3 billion allocated to munitions.
- Equipment losses in the conflict totaled $3.7 billion, including four F-15 fighters, one F-35 fighter, and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones.
- Hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan were damaged or destroyed by Iranian strikes.
- The report contradicts claims by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding US munitions supplies.
- Seven US service members were killed in action and 417 wounded as of June 30.
The US is experiencing ammunition "shortfalls" and "industrial base bottlenecks" for resupply as a consequence of the war on Iran, according to a report by the US Department of War’s inspector general. The findings directly contradict assertions made by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had claimed that US munitions supplies were ample and that reports of shortages were inaccurate.
The inspector general's report, submitted to Congress, stated that munitions expenditure has led to "strategic inventory shortfalls." To address these issues, the Pentagon is working to streamline procurement processes, reduce production lead times, and stockpile critical materials, though expanding production capacity requires significant time.
The report also detailed significant equipment losses, including four F-15 fighter jets, one F-35 fighter, and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones. Furthermore, Iranian drone and ballistic missile strikes targeted the US Navy's main logistics hub in Bahrain, and damaged or destroyed "hundreds of buildings and structures" at US bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan. The estimated cost of the war itself, excluding infrastructure repair, is around $33.4 billion, with $22.3 billion spent on munitions and $3.7 billion on equipment loss.
Middle East Eye previously reported on shortages of missile interceptors, including Patriots, and that the US had exhausted its supply of sophisticated long-range missiles like ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles.