The depletion: The Army has expended "virtually all" ATACMS and PrSM long-range missiles after five-plus months of Iran airstrikes, with THAAD interceptors down roughly 80% and Patriot interceptors down about half, per Reuters and CNN sources citing pre-war stockpiles from CSIS.
The dispute: Trump said the US has "far more munitions than anyone in the world," while Defense Secretary Hegseth called CNN's "dangerously low" characterization untrue; CSIS warned diminished stockpiles could force riskier interception decisions with "no good alternatives to Patriot and THAAD."
The wider stakes: PrSM inventory was already thin pre-war at roughly 90 units; CSIS estimates THAAD stock fell from over 450 to between 234-278 by late July, raising concern among Gulf allies and questions about US readiness for other potential conflicts.
