As Iran War Depletes U.S. Missile Stocks, Experts Warn Deterrence Is at Risk

Experts are warning that the United States’ dwindling stockpiles of long‑range missiles and air-defense interceptors following the war with Iran could complicate Washington’s ability to deter adversarial aggression and maintain military readiness in other theaters.

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Ari Cicurel, an associate director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, explained that the munitions shortage is a “serious concern that long predates the war.”

“Replenishing the depleted stockpiles is not enough. Reaching the arsenal size we actually need could take 3.5 to 6 years,” Cicurel told JI. “That shortage and the time it will take to build up our arsenal weakens U.S. leverage against Iran now.”

“It also cuts into deterrence elsewhere, since the war pulled long-range missiles out of the Pacific and other theaters to supply this fight,” he continued. “The U.S. likely carried a heavy share of missile-defense operations during the war, and thinner interceptor stocks mean less capacity to support during the next fight.”

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