US Depletes Third of Tomahawk Missile Arsenal in Iran War; Pentagon Wargames Warn of Rapid Exhaustion in China Conflict

As of July 17, 2026, the US military has fired over 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iran, the largest expenditure of the weapon in history, depleting roughly a third of the estimated 3,100-4,000 missile stockpile. With the ceasefire declared dead on July 8, strikes have resumed, further draining inventories. The remaining arsenal is estimated at 2,000-3,000 missiles, while production runs at only about 90 per year. Pentagon wargames indicate that a conflict with China would require Tomahawks at rates the stockpile cannot sustain, potentially emptying the magazine in days. The article highlights the strategic vulnerability of relying on a finite, slow-to-replenish precision-strike capability against a major power adversary.