US Reportedly Running Short of Long-Range Missiles

If emerging reports about a deal to end the war in Iran are true, the timing would apparently come just in time for the US military. Reuters quotes multiple sources who say the Army has depleted most of its stockpile of certain long-range missiles. Three people familiar with internal data say the Pentagon has burned through most of its Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and newer Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). One source described them as "virtually all" used. The weapons, which cost more than $1 million each, are key for hitting targets from a distance without putting pilots at risk.

They've been used not only by the US against Iran but by Ukrainian forces against Russia. If the Reuters report is accurate, the US might have to rely on risky piloted missions against Tehran should the war drag on. A Pentagon spokesperson insisted that the military "has everything it needs," and "a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests." Internal figures also point to steep drops in Patriot, THAAD, and Tomahawk stockpiles, according to Reuters. Read the full story.