War with Iran led to ammunition shortages in the USA

The Inspector General of the US Department of Defense stated that the war with Iran has led to a shortage of several types of ammunition and problems with replenishing their stocks. These findings contradict statements by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly denied that the US is facing an arms shortage, writes the BBC.

Trump claimed that American ammunition stockpiles were "virtually unlimited," and called reports of their depletion "fake news."

However, an independent Pentagon oversight body reported that from February to June, the US spent over $22 billion on ammunition, leading to a "shortage of strategic reserves."

When asked by the press about the Inspector General's findings, the White House stated that the United States has "more than sufficient" ammunition. This report provides the first independent insight into the state of American arms stockpiles — information on their actual volumes is usually classified.

Previous estimates had already indicated a serious shortage of certain types of ammunition.

During the war, American forces expended a vast quantity of both long-range offensive weapons and missiles from air and missile defense systems, which were used to intercept Iranian attacks.

According to an assessment by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), published in late July, stockpiles of some interceptor missiles, including those for Patriot and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems, have significantly decreased — in some cases by more than half. The Inspector General's report does not disclose how many of these weapons remain at the disposal of the US. However, it confirms the existence of stock shortages and speaks of "weaknesses in the defense industrial base" that hinder their rapid replenishment.

The document notes that the Department of Defense is now trying to accelerate procurement procedures and shorten production times to eliminate shortages and gain the ability to "respond quickly to emergencies."

The White House rejected the findings of the oversight body.

"The United States Armed Forces have more than sufficient stockpiles of ammunition and weaponry to fulfill all strategic objectives set by the Commander-in-Chief, and even more," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated on Tuesday.

Trump and other representatives of his administration have also repeatedly called reports of ammunition shortages false, and some of these publications — even "treasonous."

On August 4, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X that media reports of arms shortages "do not correspond to reality."

And on September 3, Trump stated in an extensive Truth Social post that the US has "virtually unlimited" ammunition stockpiles and continues to accumulate them, "preparing for any possible development."

The Inspector General's report also allows for an assessment of the war's cost. Military equipment losses amounted to $3.7 billion, with another $7.4 billion allocated to other expenses. In total, from February 28 to June 30, the US spent $33.4 billion on the war.

Meanwhile, a separate estimate by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), published on Tuesday, turned out to be even higher — $38 billion. This amount includes the cost of replenishing expended ammunition and equipment lost in combat, additional combat flight hours, and increased fuel costs.

Among the lost equipment are four F-15E fighter jets, the latest stealth fighter F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and 30 MQ-9 drones, destroyed, as the report states, "under various circumstances."

When the US and Israel began launching strikes, Donald Trump repeatedly stated that the conflict would end within a few weeks.

However, the president later changed his predictions and stated that the war might continue until the US midterm elections in November and would only end "immediately after" them.

Polls show that the war does not enjoy the support of the majority of Americans.

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published in early September, only 23% of Americans believe that as a result of the war, the US's position in the confrontation with Iran has become stronger than before the start of hostilities. Even among supporters of the Republican Party, only about half of those surveyed hold this opinion.

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