Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as the conflict with Iran rages on, US officials told Semafor.

Israel had reportedly entered the current war already low on interceptors that were fired during last summer’s conflict with Iran. Israel’s long-range defense system has strained under Iran’s attacks; CNN reported that Iran was adding cluster munitions to its missiles, which may exacerbate the depletion of the stock.

The US has been aware of Israel’s low capacity for months, one US official said: “It’s something we expected and anticipated.”

This official emphasized to Semafor that the US is not running similarly low on interceptors of its own. That comment comes amid broader concerns about interceptor depletion from a longer military engagement in Iran leaving the US in a poor position.

It’s also unclear whether the US might seek to sell or share any of its own interceptors with Israel, which would pose its own strain on domestic supplies. The US has included missile defense assets in past provisions of military aid to Israel.


“We have all that we need to protect our bases and our personnel in the region and our interests,” the US official said, adding that Israel is “coming up with solutions to address” their shortage.

Israel has other ways to defend against Iranian missiles during the war, including via fighter jets, but the interceptors are among the most effective defensive weapons against long-range fire. Its Iron Dome missile defense system is designed to repel more short-range fire.

President Donald Trump said earlier this month that the US has a “virtually unlimited” munitions stockpile, although analysts have long said US stockpiles are lower than the military would like.


Last June, the US fired over 150 THAAD interceptors during the 12-day war with Iran, the Center for Strategic and International Studies found — believed to be around a quarter of US inventory at the time. The US is also believed to have used around $2.4 billion worth of Patriot interceptors in the first five days of this war, according to some reports.

In January, the Pentagon made moves to begin substantially increasing its production of the THAAD missile defense system. The US official said that the administration has plenty of THAADs and fighter jets, as well as mid-level interceptors.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Semafor in a statement that the department “has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of” Trump’s choosing.


In a statement after publication of this story, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Semafor that US stockpiles are “more than enough” to achieve Trump’s goals against Iran “and beyond.” She added that Trump is also always “focused on strengthening our Armed Forces and he will continue to call on defense contractors” to quickly build US-made weapons.

“The United States Military’s accomplishments alongside the Israel Defense Forces speak for themselves — Iranian drone attacks are down 95 percent, ballistic missile attacks are down 90 percent, and the regime’s dismal situation will only get worse,” she said.

The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Semafor.

  • Bloomcole@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    Well that was part of Iran’s plan.
    Saturate them with cheap and decoy missiles depleting defenses.
    Target radars and AD.
    Then gradually use more powerful missiles.
    Unlike the US, they are meticulous and have a plan.
    And it’s working.
    Go Iran !

  • A🔻atar of 🔻engeance@lemmy.ml
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    15 hours ago

    Well that should be fine, the US can just ramp up production no problem. Just need to sign some checks and secure those rare earth metals. Aaaaaany day now

    • Korkki@lemmy.ml
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      7 hours ago

      There are people even in high places who think scaling up production of like anything is just like pressing a button.

      • A🔻atar of 🔻engeance@lemmy.ml
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        6 hours ago

        They want to find a magic third option where they can face off against industrial warfare without putting any capital controls in place, as this would essentially be the imperialist ruling class regime-changing itself. Instead they got the ability to further manipulate the market by betting on their own failures.

    • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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      15 hours ago

      Depends what they’re doing with those weapons, Lebanon probably thinks it’s world news

      • ggtdbz@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        13 hours ago

        Right now, we don’t give a fuck about their interceptors. They are murdering normal people from the sky and are clearly preparing to finally annex the south again, permanently this time. If they run out of bombs they’ll drop barrels of oil, if they run out of oil they’ll drop barrels of concrete, if they run out of jet fuel they’ll tear their toys apart and catapult the metal into our homes. There is nothing more viscerally horrifying than feeling like your days are being counted down by something that only exists to kill you. Maybe it’s their propaganda making me feel hopeless. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s less people fighting back. Maybe it’s the way I was able to volunteer my time and money in the 2024 war to help the displaced, compared to not having the financial means to do that this time, when the war is much worse.

        I wake up to obituaries of EMTs and names of towns every day and I just want it to fucking end. I haven’t lost any friends this time yet but many of my friends are grieving for someone. I swear they could have gotten a docile comprador society out of us if they weren’t hellbent on being so abjectly evil.

        There’s something depressing about all the world news being about some shrapnel falling in Dubai instead of over a million people displaced, many for the second time in two years. There’s a stupid pun about Lebensraum/Lebanon and they’re precisely that right now and the best thing the tactical geniuses online (I only use Lemmy and this place is guilty too) can say is “Beard man terror scary! This is inevitable!”.

  • Soulphite@reddthat.com
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    15 hours ago

    Are they like low key asking the world for permission to buy more from US or… what? Why is this news?

    • Trying2KnowMyse[they@lemmy.mlOP
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      15 hours ago

      Having nobody named makes it seem either like:

      • it wasn’t actually something the US government wanted shared
      • to somehow drive production of more in a way that doesn’t quite make sense to me
    • A🔻atar of 🔻engeance@lemmy.ml
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      14 hours ago

      Even the particulars of the language used by western outlets re: US air defence doctrine are of world-historic importance. If you would like I can post articles complaining about how there are too many people hawking goods at Ho Chi Minh City tourists, and the way it disturbs their delicate constitutions. #breaking