Iran war depletes US military stockpiles, limiting global deterrence

The extensive use of advanced weaponry in the war against Iran has severely depleted US military stockpiles, limiting Washington's ability to deter threats from China and Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Military planners expressed concern that the resource drain has forced the US European Command, the division responsible for American military operations across the continent, to adjust its operational plans.

US officials assessed that Washington could not fully execute contingency plans to defend Taiwan, the self-governing island over which China claims sovereignty, if a military operation occurs in the short term.

Moving air defense units to the Middle East from Japan, South Korea and Germany has created "soft spots" in the American global military posture that could take years to refill, according to officials.

Inventories in Europe of PAC-3 Patriot interceptors and ATACMS surface-to-surface missiles are considered at "beyond critical" levels, some officials claimed. Additionally, THAAD anti-missile interceptors and counter-drone systems have been redirected to the Middle East, further diminishing continental supplies. The moves have sharply restricted the ability of Western nations to send interceptors to Ukraine as Russian missile attacks continue.

The White House and the Pentagon have officially denied any munition scarcity. The Trump administration said the US military maintains enough resources to serve all of US President Donald Trump's goals.