The war in Iran has significantly depleted a huge portion of the U.S. military’s global ammunition stockpile, according to a report published by The New York Times. This has forced the Pentagon to relocate military equipment in Asia and Europe commands in order to rush it to the Middle East. While White House officials have not estimated exact costs, two independent groups say the costs range between $28 billion to $35 billion or just under $1 billion a day.

Missile Stockpiles Depleted

Prominent critical weaponry that has been drained includes precision-strike missiles, ATACMS ground-based missiles, and Patriot interceptor missiles. A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that U.S. forces used large shares of several critical munitions during the 39-day air and missile campaign, including more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs).

Patriot interceptor use was estimated between roughly 1,060 and 1,430 missiles — more than half of the U.S. prewar inventory. Exact U.S. munitions stockpiles are classified, and the figures in the report are estimates derived from Pentagon budget documents, historical procurement data, and reported battlefield usage.

Future War Risks

Even before the Iran war, U.S. stockpiles of key precision munitions were considered insufficient for a large-scale conflict with a peer adversary such as China. The latest drawdowns have made that gap more acute. A future war in the Western Pacific would likely require sustained use of the same high-end missiles now being depleted, particularly for long-range strike and missile defense against a sophisticated adversary.

Other high-end systems were also heavily drawn down. The U.S. is estimated to have used between 190 and 290 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors, which cost about $15.5 million each, and between 130 and 250 SM-3 interceptors, among the most expensive in the arsenal at roughly $28.7 million apiece.

Economic Strain on Iran

While the U.S. faces military depletion, the economic strain on Iran is equally severe. Young professionals and students are leaving the country in large numbers, hoping for better jobs, more money, and a future perspective. Since 1979, 3.1 million Iranians have left their homeland, and the trend is increasing. No one believes the situation will improve under President Raisi.

In Teheran, 38-year-old housewife Setoreh described the challenges of daily life in Iran. Once, she could buy fresh, bundled herbs from Afghan street vendors. Now, she purchases mixed, lower-quality herbs at a fraction of the cost, spending over an hour to clean them before using them for dinner. Essential goods like milk have also become unaffordable, with prices rising from 3,000 to 20,000 Tuman.