A landmark U.S. watchdog report reveals that the war with Iran, named Operation Epic Fury, cost $33.4 billion in its first four months and triggered severe strategic munitions shortfalls. The conflict has heavily depleted advanced interceptors like THAAD and exposed deep industrial bottlenecks. Despite extensive physical damage to U.S. bases and the loss of dozens of aircraft, including 30 Reaper drones, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any weapons shortages.
US-Iran war munitions shortfall
- ▪Military contractors will require approximately three years to replenish advanced missiles and defensive missile interceptors to prewar levels, according to expert estimates
- ▪A congressionally mandated report by the U.S. Department of Defense's Inspector General released on September 14, 2026, confirmed that the war with Iran has caused strategic munitions shortfalls
- ▪The U.S. military has nearly exhausted 80% of its stock of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors during the conflict with Iran, according to a previous report by CNN
Operation Epic Fury costs
- ▪Of the $33.4 billion spent on Operation Epic Fury through June 30, 2026, the U.S. military expended $22.3 billion on munitions and $3.7 billion on equipment losses
- ▪U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates sustained an estimated $184 million in physical damage from Iranian strikes
- ▪The U.S. State Department spent over $11 million to evacuate approximately 9,000 U.S. citizens from the Middle East and Europe following the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026
- ▪Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, cost an estimated $33.4 billion between February 28 and June 30, 2026
- ▪U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress in late July 2026 that the total cost of the war with Iran had reached $37.5 billion
- ▪Iranian drone and ballistic missile strikes damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures at U.S. military bases across eight Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia
Aircraft losses
- ▪The U.S. military lost up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones, valued at approximately $30 million each, during the conflict with Iran up to June 30, 2026
- ▪The damage to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter marks the first time an aircraft of its type has suffered battle damage in combat
- ▪U.S. aircraft losses during the war with Iran included four F-15E fighter jets destroyed, one F-35A Joint Strike Fighter damaged, and seven KC-135 refueling tankers damaged or destroyed
Defense industrial base bottlenecks
- ▪To address supply delays, the Pentagon is attempting to streamline procurement processes, shorten production lead times, and stockpile critical materials, though expanding capacity requires significant lead time
- ▪Iranian strikes on the U.S. Navy logistics hub in Bahrain forced U.S. Central Command to shift supply lines to Diego Garcia, extending logistics cycles to 14 to 18 days
- ▪The U.S. Defense Department's Inspector General report noted that the high rate of munitions expenditure has revealed critical industrial base bottlenecks for replenishing advanced weapons
Trump administration response
- ▪President Donald Trump publicly disputed reports of a weapons shortage, posting on Truth Social that the U.S. is producing more weapons than at any time in history and has virtually unlimited ammunition
- ▪U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied reports of a Pentagon munitions shortage despite the findings in the Inspector General's report
Ukraine weapons supply concerns
- ▪Taiwan's defense strategy, which relies on arms agreements with Washington to deter potential Chinese aggression, faces potential risks from the depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles
- ▪The U.S. munitions shortfall is expected to cause concern for Ukraine, which urgently requires Patriot air defense interceptor missiles to counter Russia
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