US Lacks Sufficient Missiles for Full-Scale War with Iran, Official Warns

A United States official has warned that the US does not have enough missiles to re-engage in a full-scale war with Iran. It is reported that US President Donald Trump is considering options to launch a ‘wider war’ against Tehran, as more American fighter jets are deployed to the Middle East. However, a US official familiar with the administration’s discussions revealed that such an operation would be constrained by dwindling stocks of air defence and long-range munitions.

President Trump warned that Iran would pay ‘many times over’ for the deaths of American soldiers in the war with the Islamic Republic. His warning came after several US military personnel were killed over the weekend. At least 17 US soldiers have died in the nearly five-month-long conflict, with two confirmed killed by an Iranian missile strike on a US base in Jordan, while the body of another US soldier is being examined.

The New York Times reported that the Pentagon has concealed information about dozens of US soldiers wounded in a barrage of Iranian attacks on American bases in Gulf states. Citing anonymous US officials, the report stated that Iranian ballistic missile strikes on US military bases in Jordan and other locations in the region caused casualties and damage, including to several helicopters.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) vowed to teach the US an ‘unforgettable lesson’ in response to new American attacks on the country. In a statement, the IRGC High Command said its forces would continue to follow the directives of the Islamic Revolution’s leadership in defending the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The IRGC also claimed responsibility for striking US air defence systems and installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.