The Pentagon Admits 'Shortage' in Ammunition Due to War in Iran
Amman3 min read
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The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) in a report published on Monday admitted the existence of a'shortage' in ammunition linked to the war in Iran, something that the Donald Trump administration had largely refused to confirm in the past few months.
The Pentagon Inspector General's report on the US operation against Iran stated that 'the consumption of ammunition during the +Epic Wrath+ operation caused a shortage in strategic stocks, and revealed obstacles in the industry sector that hinder the renewal of ammunition stocks'.
However, the report also indicates the measures taken by the department to accelerate the production rate.
When press reports in June indicated that the United States was imposing restrictions on the use of its missiles, especially interceptor missiles, the government denied this and Trump asserted that the country had 'huge amounts of ammunition'.
At the beginning of September, the US president was still insisting that the United States had 'unlimited amounts of ammunition'.
According to the press, this shortage of ammunition led Trump to refrain from renewing large-scale attacks against Tehran during the summer.
The Pentagon report stated that 'despite the extensive use of interceptor missiles, Iranian strikes caused damage and destroyed hundreds of buildings and facilities at US bases' in the Middle East.
The document mentions the damage to the fleet of aircraft, including the destruction of 4 F-15 aircraft, damage to an F-35, damage or destruction of 7 KC-135 refueling aircraft, and the destruction of 'up to 30' MQ-9 Reaper drones.
The document, which covers the period from April to June 2026, estimates the number of US military personnel participating in the war in the Middle East, which broke out on February 28 with Israeli-US strikes on Iran, at more than 50,000.
It explains that the responses by Iran and its allies have caused damage to diplomatic buildings in four countries (Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE).
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had received a report indicating that the United States is producing super-advanced and elite weapons at rates higher than ever before in its history.
Trump added, on the 'Truth Social' platform, that these weapons are being delivered daily to US forces in the Middle East and other regions.
He pointed out that US defense companies' factories are working around the clock, in conjunction with the establishment of an average of 4 to 5 completely new and massive industrial facilities for each company.
He noted that the main focus of manufacturing is on producing Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, Tomahawk missiles, and other standard missile systems, of which we already have large stocks.
