US depleted half of THAAD missile stockpile to defend Israel, officials say

The Washington Post, citing US officials, reported that the United States has depleted approximately half of its stockpiles of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to protect Israel during the period of active conflict with Iran.

Unnamed US officials stated that Washington expended more of its own resources for defense than Israel did from its own capabilities.

In total, US forces fired more than 200 THAAD interceptors. In addition, more than 100 Standard Missile 3 and Standard Missile 6 missiles were launched from naval platforms in the Eastern Mediterranean.

During the same period, Israel launched fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and approximately 90 David’s Sling missiles from its own stockpiles.

Highlighting the strategic risks, Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, emphasized that the data is striking.

Grieco stated that by assuming the bulk of the defensive responsibilities, the US enabled Israel to preserve its own ammunition stockpiles.

From the perspective of operational requirements, it was noted that the US has approximately 200 THAAD interceptors remaining, and the current production line is struggling to meet demand.

This ammunition deficit has caused concern among US allies in Asia, namely Japan and South Korea. Both countries rely on US deterrence against potential threats from North Korea and China.

Although US and Israeli authorities regularly speak of strong defensive cooperation, Pentagon data paints a more one-sided picture.

A US administration representative disclosed that the US used approximately 120 more interceptor missiles than Israel and neutralized twice as many Iranian missiles.

Israel’s decision to decommission some of its air defense systems for maintenance suggests that the ammunition burden on the US could increase further if hostilities resume.

An unnamed official predicted that the existing imbalance would deepen in the event of a recurrence of conflict. However, Shawn Parnell, the spokesperson for the US Deputy Secretary of Defense, argued that both sides “shared the defensive burden equally.”

US officials reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a key role in convincing US President Donald Trump to initiate the war by promising to organize a strike that would eliminate Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons.

Although President Trump claimed that Iran’s military capability was “largely destroyed,” US intelligence data indicates that Tehran retains approximately 70% of its pre-war missile stockpiles.

Furthermore, US officials stated that the Israeli military is “exhausted” due to operations in Yemen and Lebanon. Grieco expressed that Israeli commanders may have overlooked their capacity to sustain the operational tempo.

It was reported that prior to the conflict, the parties had agreed on a defensive framework in which the vast majority of Iranian missiles would be destroyed by high-tech systems such as THAAD and naval missiles.

Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, said these dynamics contradict Trump’s “America First” slogan.

Logan stated that Israel’s stance has become clear since Trump returned to office, making the prioritization of resources a subject of debate.

Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement on May 11, said he supported the gradual phasing out of military aid received from the US over the next decade.

According to information reported by The New York Times on May 16, the US and Israel are preparing a new operational plan that includes more aggressive bombardment of military and critical infrastructure facilities in Iran.

It was noted that the plan in question would be put into effect if Trump decides to break the deadlock in negotiations with Iran through a new wave of attacks.