America’s depleted weapons stockpiles undermine Trump’s leverage with Iran

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The Hill's Headlines - Sunday, August 9, 2026

The Hill's Headlines - Sunday, August 9, 2026

America’s depleted arsenal of premier offensive and defensive weapons stockpiles is undermining President Trump’s leverage with Iran. 

The military’s supply of its premium long-range missiles and interceptors for key missile defense systems is nearly exhausted after more than five months of airstrikes against Iran, recent news reports revealed, constraining Trump in authorizing major combat operations against the Islamic Republic. 

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta characterized the shortage of munition stockpiles as “poor planning” by the Pentagon at a time when not only is there is a real chance of renewed attacks against Iran if diplomatic talks fail, but also when there are potential threats from Russia and China — particularly should Beijing decide to invade Taiwan.

“So, this is a dangerous moment for the United States to have these reduced stockpiles of key weapons at a time when these threats are all real,” Panetta, who was also the CIA director under former President Obama, said Friday on CNN. 

The U.S. Army has used up “virtually all” of its surface-to-surface munitions, known as army tactical missile systems (ATACMS) and precision strike missiles (PrSM), Reuters reported Tuesday, highlighting worries about the U.S.’s readiness to wage warfare if more conflicts emerge in other parts of the world. 

ATACMS, produced by Lockheed Martin, can be launched from highly mobile artillery rocket system (HIMARS) mobile launchers and strike targets nearly 200 miles away, carrying close to a 400-pound payload. 

PrSM, also manufactured by Lockheed Martin and envisioned to replace ATACMS, are long-range missiles with a range north of 300 miles, and can be launched from HIMARS and M270 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) launchers.

PrSM is a newer munition and was limited even before the Iran war, with the U.S. having around 90 of the missiles prior to the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report from April.

If Trump were to greenlight an expanded airstrike campaign against Iran, the dwindling quantity of these munitions could force the U.S. military to lean more on piloted bombing missions. 

Additionally, the U.S. has expended nearly 80 percent of its terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) missile arsenal and about 50 percent of its Patriot interceptors since the Iran war started, CNN reported Tuesday.

The Pentagon had around 2,200........

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