Reuters Reports U.S. Has Used 'Virtually All' of Two Key Long-Range Missile Stockpiles in Iran War; Pentagon Disputes Readiness Concerns
The Facts
- Reuters reported on Aug. 4, 2026, citing three people familiar with the data, that the U.S. Army has used up much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month war with Iran; two of those sources said the U.S. has used "virtually all" of its ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles.
- The extent to which the U.S. military is running low on ATACMS and PrSM had not been publicly reported before.
- The war between the U.S. and Iran began in late February 2026, launched jointly with Israel, and had lasted about five months at the time of the reporting.
- ATACMS and PrSM are surface-to-surface munitions that cost more than $1 million each and allow precision strikes from long distances; U.S.-supplied ATACMS were used by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia.
- Officials cited in the reporting said the drawdown raises concerns about U.S. readiness for future conflicts, including the ability to respond to crises involving China and Russia.
- Reporting says the depleted stocks could push President Trump to rely on riskier options for striking Iranian targets, including piloted bombing missions rather than standoff missiles.
- CNN reported that the U.S. Army has expended nearly 80% of its THAAD missile-defense interceptors compared with prewar levels and close to half of its Patriot interceptors since the war began, and cited multiple sources saying senior military officials warned that Pentagon munitions stocks are "dangerously low."
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies has estimated the U.S. used more than 1,500 Patriot interceptors and about 200 THAAD interceptors during the conflict.
- The Pentagon and White House rejected the readiness concerns, with the White House and Defense Department saying U.S. forces have "more than enough" munitions and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell saying the U.S. military remains the most powerful in the world; Trump publicly pushed back on the reports.
- The exact number of remaining missiles has not been disclosed, and the reporting is based on anonymous sources that news outlets said they could not independently verify.
Context
What are ATACMS and PrSM, and why do they matter?
Both are U.S. Army surface-to-surface precision missiles that can strike targets hundreds of kilometers away, keeping troops and aircraft out of range of enemy air defenses Newsweek,Investing.com. Each costs more than $1 million Indian Express. PrSM is the newer generation intended to replace ATACMS Jutarnji list. ATACMS supplied to Ukraine were used to hit targets inside Russian territory CNBC,Jutarnji list.
Are defensive interceptors also affected?
CNN reported that the Army has used nearly 80% of its THAAD interceptors relative to prewar inventories and close to half of its Patriot interceptors since the war began on Feb. 28 infobae,CNBC. CSIS estimates put usage at more than 1,500 Patriot and about 200 THAAD interceptors Аргументы и…,infobae. One source told Reuters the Pentagon has also expended just under half of its global Tomahawk cruise missile stocks Аргументы и…,РИА Новости,Hürriyet.
How has the U.S. government responded?
The White House and Pentagon said U.S. forces have "more than enough" munitions, and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the military retains a deep arsenal and remains the most powerful in the world CNBC,Lenta.ru,NDTV. Trump publicly rejected the reporting Fox News,N-tv. Turkish reporting noted claims that warnings about munitions influenced Trump's decisions on further large-scale strikes, which U.S. officials deny Hürriyet.
Where Left and Right agree, and where they split
- Where Left and Right agree
- Both treat the drawdown as a genuine cost — not a talking point — and both demand honest public accounting of what remains before pilots are sent where standoff missiles used to go.
- Where Left and Right split
- A war whose price was never disclosed to the public, or an arsenal that industrial capacity can no longer refill fast enough to deter China and Russia.
How left and right read it
Five months of war has consumed virtually all of the Army's ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles, nearly 80% of THAAD interceptors and close to half the Patriots — and the depth of that drawdown had never been publicly reported. Senior military officials warned stocks are dangerously low, while the depletion pushes toward riskier options like piloted bombing missions. Open accounting of what this war has cost must come before anyone is asked to fly into that gap.
Five months of war has consumed virtually all of the Army's ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles, with officials warning about readiness for crises involving China and Russia. As Fox News put it, "America's most sophisticated precision weapons can be expended in months but often take years to replace." Hard power rests on industrial capacity, not assurances that stocks are ample; the demand is honest accounting of what remains, and standoff options preserved so strikes need not become riskier piloted missions.
“If accurate, the report underscores a longstanding Pentagon concern: America's most sophisticated precision weapons can be expended in months but often take years to replace.” — Fox News
The receipts — 100 sources
Wire services (4)
Independent coverage (96)
The news, read by both sides.
The day’s biggest stories in one short brief, built to show both sides and the competing values behind the headlines. Free in your inbox.