Sources: US Army depleted virtually all long-range precision missiles in five-month Iran war

The U.S. Army has expended a significant portion of its inventory of highly accurate long-range missiles during America's five-month war with Iran, according to three people familiar with the data, raising concerns about military readiness for future conflicts.

The missiles in question are primarily the Army's surface-to-surface weapons: the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). Two of the sources stated that the U.S. has used "virtually all" of these weapons.

The extent of the depletion of ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles has not been previously reported.

Strategic Importance

These long-range munitions are a critical component of the military's arsenal, enabling accurate strikes from a safe distance. U.S.-supplied ATACMS have been instrumental in the war in Ukraine, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike targets inside Russia. The PrSM is a newer, more advanced generation designed to replace the ATACMS, which have a shorter range.

Analysts note that such weapons—each costing over $1 million—would also be vital in any potential conflict with China.

Supply Concerns

The sources declined to specify how many of each munition the U.S. has remaining.

President Donald Trump launched the Iran war jointly with Israel in February, predicting a short conflict. However, as the war continues, the three sources expressed concern that dwindling missile supplies could limit the U.S. ability to deter adversaries, including Russia and China.

A fourth person familiar with the matter said that while Central Command—which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East—has nearly exhausted the land-based missiles it had before the war, it has been able to replenish from U.S. military supplies elsewhere in the world.

All sources interviewed for this story spoke on condition of anonymity.

Official Responses

Asked for comment on the stockpile data, the White House issued a statement from President Trump, asserting that the U.S. has "far more munitions than anyone in the world" and "far more than we need."

"Our defense companies are, at this moment, making more munitions than they have ever made before, in addition to expanding their plants and equipment at record levels," Trump said.

Analysts acknowledge that certain munitions, including artillery shells and several types of missiles, are being produced at record levels but caution that supplies may still fall far short of what is required for a prolonged war.

Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the ATACMS and PrSMs, along with the anti-ballistic missile THAAD system, did not immediately respond to questions about Trump's statements or supply levels.

Raytheon, which produces Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors—two important U.S. weapons—also did not immediately respond.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in response to a request for comment: "America's military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President's choosing. We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests."

Internal Discussions

The supply figures have circulated within the federal government over the past week during tense discussions inside the Trump administration about how much longer the U.S. can continue striking Iran without depleting stockpiles to levels that would limit the military's ability to respond to crises elsewhere.

Warnings Over Weapons Supplies

One of the sources indicated that the drawdown of ATACMS and PrSM stockpiles reflects a Trump administration decision to avoid riskier methods of attacking Iranian targets, such as using piloted aircraft to drop bombs.

Because these weapons enable attacks from a distance, analysts say they would be valuable in a war against an adversary with strong air defenses, such as China.

According to a March report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), these missiles have been used to strike targets inside Iran.

The report noted that PrSM stockpiles were initially low, as it is a relatively new munition, but the U.S. military has ordered a large number for 2027. The Army has stated that ATACMS are being phased out, with production shifting to the newer PrSM missiles.

Two of the sources said military leaders have for weeks warned the president that stockpiles of defensive weapons—including Patriot interceptors, which are effective against ballistic missiles—were dwindling.

Last week, several media outlets reported that Trump had decided no further action on the matter.