Baghdad: The White House has expressed concern regarding Washington’s inability to keep pace with the rapid depletion of its interceptor missiles in the face of Iran, as the regional conflict consumes its most advanced munitions.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, CBS News revealed that military and intelligence officials expressed grave concern about the accelerating rate of ammunition consumption in the Middle East. Sources confirmed that the US administration is aware of its inability to maintain the level of spending on precision-guided weapons that prevailed at the beginning of the confrontation with Iran.

The network quoted officials as saying that the US defense industry does not have sufficient production capacity to manufacture missiles at the rate required to compensate for the depletion of Central Command stockpiles. The sources explained that the astonishing rate at which the most advanced interceptor missiles, in addition to precision-guided munitions, are being “wasted” is a major concern.

Officials indicated to CBS that the US arsenal suffers from limitations in ATACMS systems and HIMARS missiles. Washington has also consumed enormous quantities of Patriot and THAAD interceptor missiles, as well as drones, at rates exceeding the capacity of domestic industry. However, the network confirmed that the United States still possesses sufficient stockpiles of mobile rocket artillery shells, JASSM missiles, and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Officials emphasized that the greatest concern lies with interceptor missiles designed to counter cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones. CBS revealed that the Pentagon has withdrawn its stockpiles of these missiles from other regions, such as the Indian and Pacific Oceans, raising concerns among officials about the impact of this depletion on US readiness should a conflict erupt in those areas.