- Interceptor shortage strains Israel’s air defences.
- US says it expected Israel’s shortfall.
- Washington says its own stocks remain sufficient.
Israel has warned the United States that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as its conflict with Iran continues, Semafor reported, citing US officials.
According to the report, Israel entered the conflict already short of interceptors after using many during last summer’s clashes with Iran. Its long-range air defence system has since come under further strain from Iranian attacks, while CNN reported that Iran had begun adding cluster munitions to its missiles, potentially accelerating the depletion.
One US official told Semafor that Washington had been aware of Israel’s limited interceptor capacity for months, saying it was “something we expected and anticipated.”
The official added that the United States was not facing a similar shortage of its own interceptors, though it remains unclear whether Washington would sell or share any with Israel, a move that could place added pressure on US domestic supplies.
“We have all that we need to protect our bases, our personnel in the region and our interests,” the official said, adding that Israel was “working on solutions to address” the shortage.
Semafor reported that Israel still has other ways to defend against Iranian missiles, including fighter jets. However, interceptors remain among its most effective defences against long-range attacks, while the Iron Dome system is designed to counter shorter-range threats.
President Donald Trump said earlier this month that the United States had a “virtually unlimited” stockpile of munitions, although analysts have long argued that US reserves are lower than the military would prefer.
Last June, the United States fired more than 150 THAAD interceptors during the 12-day war with Iran, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a number believed to represent roughly a quarter of the US inventory at the time. Some reports have also suggested the United States used about $2.4 billion worth of Patriot interceptors in the first five days of the current conflict.
In January, the Pentagon began efforts to significantly increase production of the THAAD missile defence system. The US official told Semafor the administration still had sufficient THAAD systems, fighter jets and mid-level interceptors.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department “has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of” Trump’s choosing.
After publication of Semafor’s report, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said US stockpiles were “more than enough” to achieve Trump’s goals against Iran “and beyond”.
“The United States military’s accomplishments alongside the Israel Defence Forces speak for themselves — Iranian drone attacks are down 95%, ballistic missile attacks are down 90%, and the regime’s dire situation will only worsen,” she said.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Semafor said.
Trump has said the war could end “soon” and described it as a “short-term excursion.” However, the United States, Israel and Iran have all signalled they are preparing for a prolonged conflict.
