The Empire's Arsenal at 'Bleeding Point': Trump Rages Against 'Traitorous Leakers' as Patriot and Tomahawk Missiles Depleted

The US military's five-month-long military campaign against Iran has unexpectedly exposed a severe crisis in the US defense supply chain. According to Reuters, citing three informed sources, the US military has consumed 'almost all' of the world's stockpiles of high-precision long-range ground-to-ground missiles, potentially severely undermining its readiness and deterrence capabilities in responding to conflicts in other regions. In response to the resulting uproar, US President Donald Trump took to social media to strongly refute the reports, emphasizing that US military ammunition is 'endless.' However, he also acknowledged that advanced weapons still have room for improvement and reiterated his commitment to severely punish leakers of classified information.

According to Reuters, the weapons most heavily impacted are the US Army's two main strike systems: the 'Army Tactical Missile System' (ATACMS) and the next-generation 'Precision Strike Missile' (PrSM). Two sources admitted that these missiles, each costing over $1 million, have been used to the point of being 'almost completely depleted.' Military experts warn that if Trump seeks to launch a new large-scale strike against Iran, the depletion of long-range missiles may force a shift to extremely high-risk manned bombing missions flown by pilots.

A new report from the Washington-based think tank 'Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) warns that between February and July this year, the US military has exhausted approximately 65% of its 'Patriot' air defense interceptor missiles, leaving fewer than 850 in inventory. Inventory of the 'THAAD' system has also decreased by at least 38%. The Navy's ship-launched 'Tomahawk' cruise missile inventory has also been reduced by 'slightly less than half.' The situation for Middle Eastern allies is even more dire: Saudi Arabia used up 86% of its Patriot PAC-3 missiles within the first 38 days of combat. Two government sources confirmed that CSIS's estimates closely match classified US data.

Global Scramble for 'Patriot' Missiles

The 'Patriot' phased-array tracking radar system, developed by Raytheon, was first deployed in combat during the 1991 Gulf War. A complete Patriot missile battery costs over $1 billion (approximately $400 million for the system itself and $690 million for accompanying munitions). The defensive capability of the Patriot system depends on the type of interceptor missile deployed: the earlier Raytheon-produced PAC-2 GEM-T uses a 'fragmentation warhead' that detonates near the target to destroy enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, or short-range ballistic missiles. In contrast, the advanced PAC-3 MSE (Missile Segment Enhancement), produced by Lockheed Martin, uses high-precision 'hit-to-kill' technology, physically colliding with and destroying medium- to long-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons.

In July this year, Lockheed Martin unveiled a new adapted interceptor, the PAC-3 ACE, which boasts a production cost half that of the PAC-3 while retaining the ability to intercept short-range ballistic and cruise missiles. As conflict spreads across the Middle East and Ukraine remains heavily reliant on Patriots to defend against Russian missiles, demand for interceptor missiles among the 19 countries using the system has surged to the highest level since the Cold War. The US has already urgently approved the sale of 5,250 interceptor missiles to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and is currently negotiating with Ukraine the feasibility of authorizing local production of Patriot missile components.

Trump's Rebuttal: US Military Has More Ammunition Than Anyone Else

In response to the inventory warnings, different voices have emerged within the US military. A CENTCOM (US Central Command) official responsible for Middle East defense said the military is continuously reallocating global stockpiles to replenish supplies. However, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell insisted: 'The US military has all the resources necessary to carry out missions at the time and place chosen by the President.' Raytheon (RTX), the manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles, and Lockheed Martin, the maker of Patriot missiles, have both received multi-year contracts from the Pentagon and the US Army to expand production lines and ramp up output.

Nonetheless, the reports have caused high tension within the White House. CNN, citing six informed sources on August 6, reported that Trump recently held a cabinet meeting at Camp David and was furious over media reports of ammunition shortages, criticizing them for making the US appear 'weak' at a critical moment in pressuring Iran to negotiate. Trump then posted on Truth Social in the early hours of August 7, claiming the US military has 'far more ammunition than anyone else in the world,' adding, 'especially for mid- and low-tier weapons, ammunition is virtually endless and even more advanced than top-tier equipment of other countries!' However, Trump unusually acknowledged, 'While advanced weapon reserves are sufficient, there is still room for improvement,' and vowed, 'The government will seek long-term imprisonment for traitors who leak this classified information.'