Against that backdrop, the administration has sought to assure Americans that missile stockpiles remain robust, even after vast quantities of difficult-to-manufacture weapons were used during the combat operation known as Operation Epic Fury and the tit-for-tat strikes since.
CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported the US has gone through much of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles during the war, citing two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the subject.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday evening that Trump had confronted Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last week over a possible weapons shortfall, also citing unnamed sources. The BBC has not confirmed the report.
“The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down,” Trump said in the post on Truth Social. “Long term jail sentences will be sought!”
He directly addressed the Washington Post’s story in a later post, saying: “I really believe their fake ‘reporting’ is treasonous!”
“I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing,” he also posted.
Precise information on US missile stocks remains classified. Since becoming secretary, Hegseth has sought to put in place strict controls limiting the information that reporters can gather from the Pentagon, as well.
Using publicly available data, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a national security think tank, estimated that by the end of July, the US had between 759 and 827 Patriot missiles left – about a third of the 2,330 available before the conflict began.
It also estimates the US has now used around 60% of terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) missiles, which are deployed to intercept strikes, Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at CSIS, said on Wednesday.
The US is facing demand for its weapons beyond the conflict with Iran, which could also put a strain on supplies.
