The US is facing a shortage of key missile stocks, including Tomahawk land-attack missiles and SM-3 interceptors, amid the ongoing US-Israeli offensive on Iran, CNN has reported.
Citing a senior US official, the report said on Monday that Washington anticipates a “major uptick” in attacks within the next 24 hours, while missile and interceptor reserves are depleting.
The official added that the initial round of strikes has reportedly succeeded in weakening Iranian defences. The upcoming phase is expected to focus on targeting Iran’s missile production facilities, unmanned aerial vehicles, and naval capabilities.
The Pentagon is also facing a shortage of Patriot missiles, as Ukrainian air defences have used a significant portion of the stockpile over the past four years of war with Russia.
Since Saturday, the US-Israeli joint campaign has yielded significant claimed results, the US Central Command said, noting that all 11 Iranian vessels in the Gulf of Oman had been destroyed.
US President Donald Trump claimed that 49 Iranian leaders had been killed, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. US B-2 stealth bombers also struck Iran’s hardened ballistic missile facilities overnight Sunday.
Meanwhile, at least six US service members have been killed and 18 others seriously wounded since the operations began.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Gulf countries which are home to US military assets.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio “admitted” that Washington entered “a war of choice” against Tehran “on behalf of Israel”.
“Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel,” said Aragchi through the US-based social media company X, amid the ongoing US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which was launched on Saturday.
Noting that there was “never” any Iranian threat, Araghchi argued that “both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters”.
He urged the US citizens to “take back their country,” noting they “deserve better.”
The strikes carried out by Israel and the US on Iran have drawn criticism from Democrats toward President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a report by The New York Times.
Earlier, on Sunday, Trump said in a video shared on his Truth Social platform: “I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country.”
Since Saturday, joint US-Israeli strikes have reportedly killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks targetting US-linked sites in Gulf countries.
Six US service members have been killed and several others seriously wounded.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the death toll from US and Israeli airstrikes since Saturday rose to 555. – AA