As Iran bombardment continues, the US runs short of missile stocks

The United States military is reportedly beginning to face shortages of its main missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-3 interceptors, as joint US-Israel military strikes against Iran continue. The missile stock shortages, reported by Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, were cited by CNN, a leading US media outlet, quoting an unnamed senior US official. The official said that the United States expects a ‘major intensification’ of its strikes over the next 24 hours, while stockpiles of strike missiles and interceptors are thinning. The senior official said that initial strikes were reported to have weakened Iran’s defence. The next phase, the official said, is expected to focus on targeting missile production facilities, unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, and Iran’s naval capabilities. The Pentagon also reports shortages of Patriot missiles, which play a critical role in intercepting air attacks, due to Ukraine’s air defence having used up much of the interceptor stock during four years of war against Russia. There has been no direct response from the Pentagon or the White House to these reports. Similar information was reported by Middle East Monitor and other Turkish media outlets, TRT World. The US and Israel have launched waves of coordinated strikes against Iran since the weekend. In a matter of days, allied forces have attacked targets across Iran, including missiles sites, naval facilities, and military command and control locations. CENTCOM, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, reported that US forces had attacked more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, which began on Saturday 28 February local time. CENTCOM reported that the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were destroyed during the early US strike, and all 11 Iranian naval vessels in the Gulf of Oman had been destroyed. The sequence of US-Israeli strikes has killed several senior figures and high-ranking Tehran officials, including the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The latest report from the Iranian Red Crescent Society indicates that at least 787 people have died. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes on targets in Israel and on US bases in Gulf states. Tehran claims that at least 560 US soldiers were killed or wounded in the retaliation. However the US has so far confirmed at least six of its soldiers killed and 18 personnel wounded since the operation began.