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US Army depletes nearly 80% of missile defense interceptors, Pentagon warns of low reserves
🇲🇽 Mexico /Conflict & Security

US Army depletes nearly 80% of missile defense interceptors, Pentagon warns of low reserves

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The U.S. Army has depleted nearly 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defense system, according to CNN.
  • Pentagon ammunition reserves are also dangerously low, with nearly half of Patriot interceptors and almost four-fifths of THAAD interceptors used since the war with Iran began.
  • President Trump has warned Iran that current negotiations are its last chance to sign a good deal to end the war.

The U.S. Army is facing critically low reserves of key missile defense interceptors, with nearly 80% of its THAAD system and almost half of its Patriot interceptors depleted since the war with Iran began on February 28, CNN reported, citing multiple sources.

The Pentagon's overall ammunition stockpiles are also "dangerously low," according to the report. The U.S. had approximately 2,200 Patriot missiles and 452 THAAD missiles before the conflict, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. THAAD is a mobile ballistic missile defense system used by the U.S. Army since 2008 to protect large areas from enemy ballistic missiles.

We are talking and we are doing it at the request of Iran, with the support of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as other countries... Everyone wanted to give this process one last chance. It is the last chance. It is the last opportunity for Iran to sign a good document.

— Donald TrumpPresident Trump speaking to reporters about the ongoing negotiations with Iran.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the high cost of the war. In March, reports revealed alarm within the Pentagon over the excessive use of Tomahawk missiles, with over 850 fired in the initial weeks of the conflict, contributing to a scarcity of this weapon type.

The war in Iran has now lasted over five months, becoming a major concern for President Donald Trump's administration. After several failed attempts to reach an agreement, Trump stated on Monday that current negotiations represent Iran's "last chance" to sign a "good" deal to end the war. "We are talking and we are doing it at the request of Iran, with the support of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as other countries... Everyone wanted to give this process one last chance. It is the last chance. It is the last opportunity for Iran to sign a good document," Trump told reporters. He insisted that "if this does not happen, there will be no more opportunities."

if this does not happen, there will be no more opportunities.

— Donald TrumpPresident Trump emphasizing the finality of the current negotiation opportunity with Iran.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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