Iran war obliterated two-thirds of US interceptor stockpile: report

New CSIS report says months of conflict have dramatically reduced America’s advanced missile interceptor stockpile.

By World Israel News Staff

The United States has depleted a significant portion of its missile interceptor stockpile during months of escalating conflict with Iran, according to a new report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), fueling speculation that dwindling defensive munitions played a role in President Donald Trump’s decision to pause the U.S. bombing campaign.

According to the report, before the launch of Operation Epic Fury in February 2026, the U.S. military possessed more than 2,700 Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles. Just five months later, that inventory has reportedly fallen to fewer than 1,000 missiles after repeated efforts to defend American forces and allied infrastructure from Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Throughout the conflict, Iran has repeatedly responded to U.S. airstrikes by launching missiles and drones at American military installations and key energy infrastructure across the Gulf region, including in Jordan and several Gulf states. Those attacks have required extensive use of high-end missile defense systems, rapidly consuming interceptor inventories.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump ordered a pause in nearly two weeks of consecutive U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian military assets.

The White House has maintained that the decision was intended to provide an opportunity for diplomacy. Trump said the pause came amid hopes that Iran would return to negotiations and agree to a broader deal that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted commercial shipping.

Nevertheless, numerous defense analysts have questioned whether the halt was driven primarily by diplomatic considerations, suggesting instead that concerns over America’s dwindling interceptor stockpile may have become an increasingly important factor.

In an interview with the New York Post earlier in July, Katherine Thompson, a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, warned that while the U.S. defense industrial base remains capable of replenishing munitions over time, sustained combat would place increasing strain on existing inventories.

“Time is the main factor here. If this goes on for weeks and then we settle into a cease-fire, it could be fine,” she said.

“But I don’t think our munitions are in a great place if this lasts another year or two.”