INTERNACIONAL
US drains critical missile stockpiles in Iran war as yearslong rebuild looms
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The U.S. may have burned through roughly half of its Patriot missile interceptors during the conflict with Iran, according to a new analysis, underscoring how even a campaign lasting just weeks can place heavy strain on key munitions stockpiles.
While the U.S. still has enough firepower to sustain operations in the current fight, analysts warn the greater risk lies in a future conflict against a peer adversary.
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.
TRUMP RALLIES DEFENSE TITANS TO SURGE WEAPONS OUTPUT AS IRAN WAR RAGES
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.
The U.S. may have burned through roughly half of its Patriot missile interceptors during the conflict with Iran, according to a new analysis. (Sam Yeh/AFP)
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.
The Navy’s SM-6 missile, which costs about $5.3 million per unit, also saw significant use, with estimates ranging from 190 to 370 fired.
Long-range strike weapons used in the conflict carry similarly high price tags.
Tomahawk land attack missiles cost about $2.6 million each, while JASSMs are priced at roughly $2.6 million per missile. The Army’s newer precision strike missile (PrSM), costing around $1.6 million per unit, was also used in smaller numbers, with estimates ranging from 40 to 70 fired.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell denied reports of stockpile shortages.
«America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing,» he said in a statement.
«As Secretary Hegseth has highlighted numerous times, it took less than ten percent of American naval power to control the traffic going in and out of the Strait of Hormuz. Since President Trump took office, we have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests. Attempts to alarm Americans over the Department’s magazine depth are both ill-informed and dishonorable.»
A Navy official added to Fox News Digital: «The Navy is taking aggressive steps to increase our munitions stockpiles and strengthen the industrial base; as reflected in our FY27 budget request of $22.6 billion, which will fund over 4,600 all-up rounds.»
«We are significantly increasing production for our most critical systems, including the Standard Missile, Tomahawk, AMRAAM, and the PAC-3. To support this surge and provide a stable demand signal to our industry partners, we are continuing the multi-year procurements for LRASM and NSM, while initiating new multi-year contracts for the Tomahawk and Standard Missile. We are also working with the Department of War through the Munitions Acceleration Council (MAC), to synchronize efforts across the enterprise to break down barriers and speed up production.»
The Pentagon’s latest budget request underscores the urgency: The administration is seeking roughly $70 billion for munitions in fiscal year 2027 — a nearly threefold increase over current levels — as it moves to replenish stockpiles strained by recent conflicts, including Iran and Ukraine. The request includes sharp increases in purchases of key systems used in the war, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, Patriot and THAAD interceptors, and long-range strike weapons.
Iran maintains thousands of missiles and drones, according to Defense Intelligence Agency director Lt. Gen. James Adams.
«Despite significant degradation of Iranian military capabilities through coalition strikes in operation Epic Fury Tehran retains thousands of missiles and one-way attack UAV’s capable of threatening U.S. and partner forces throughout the region,» he told the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday.
IRAN’S REMAINING WEAPONS: HOW TEHRAN CAN STILL DISRUPT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Despite the heavy expenditures, the U.S. retains enough munitions to sustain operations in the current conflict. The report notes that after heavy use of long-range missiles in the early phase of the campaign, U.S. forces shifted toward less expensive and more plentiful weapons, including Joint Direct Attack Munitions and other short-range systems.
The concern, analysts say, is what comes next.
Rebuilding those inventories will take years. According to the CSIS analysis, delivery timelines for many of these systems range from roughly three to more than five years, factoring in contracting delays, production lead times and manufacturing capacity limits.
The U.S. is estimated to have used between 190 and 290 THAAD 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. (Staff Sgt. Cory D. Payne/U.S. Air Force/AP)
That lag comes as global demand for the same systems continues to rise.
Patriot interceptors, for example, are in high demand among U.S. allies, including Ukraine, which has relied heavily on them for air defense. Other partners in Europe and Asia also are seeking to expand their own stockpiles, creating competition for limited production capacity.
The Trump administration has pushed to rapidly expand production of key munitions, with defense contractors planning major increases in output.
Lockheed Martin, for example, is aiming to boost Patriot interceptor production from roughly 600 per year to about 2,000 by the end of the decade, while also expanding THAAD interceptor capacity from under 100 annually to several hundred. RTX has said it will increase Tomahawk production to more than 1,000 missiles per year, a significant jump from recent levels.
But those increases will take time.
In its latest budget request for fiscal year 2027, the Pentagon is calling for a surge in munitions procurement, yet analysts caution that even with additional funding and planned production gains, the defense industrial base cannot quickly replace weapons already expended.
Image shows a Lockheed Martin JASSM cruise with a C-130. 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 over 1,000 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs). (Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)
Pentagon officials already had raised concerns about U.S. munitions stockpiles after years of military support for Ukraine.
In 2025, the Pentagon paused shipments of some air defense missiles and other weapons to Kyiv following an internal review that found certain inventories had declined too far.
The strain is already affecting U.S. allies in Europe. U.S. officials have warned that some previously contracted weapons deliveries to European countries — including in the Baltic region — could be delayed as the Iran war draws down American stockpiles.
Leaders in Estonia and Lithuania said they had been informed that delivery timelines for U.S. military equipment were shifting, with some ammunition shipments «put on hold» as Washington works through supply constraints.
One European defense official told Fox News Digital that delays could have longer-term consequences, warning that allies may begin to «rethink» future purchases of U.S. weapons if delivery timelines become unreliable.
The production bottlenecks are not new. The U.S. has faced a backlog of more than $20 billion in approved weapons sales to Taiwan, with delivery timelines for some major systems slipping by years due in part to limited industrial capacity.
During the conflict, the Pentagon moved elements of its THAAD system from South Korea to the Middle East to bolster defenses against Iranian missile attacks, according to multiple reports. The redeployment highlights the tradeoffs facing U.S. planners as they shift limited high-end air defense assets between regions.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The result is a growing challenge for U.S. defense planners: sustaining current conflicts while preparing for a potentially larger war ahead.
Fox News has reached out to the Pentagon and relevant service branches for comment.
conflicts defense, pentagon, war with iran, spending, military
INTERNACIONAL
Estados Unidos denunció «acciones destinadas a desestabilizar» al gobierno de Bolivia por parte de seguidores de Evo Morales
La Oficina de Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental del Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos denunció este domingo que los disturbios y bloqueos en Bolivia buscan «desestabilizar» al gobierno de Rodrigo Paz Pereira.
A través de redes sociales, el organismo oficial de la gestión de Donald Trump manifestó: «En Bolivia, los disturbios y bloqueos han generado una crisis humanitaria, causando escasez de medicamentos, alimentos y combustible«.
«Condenamos todas las acciones destinadas a desestabilizar al gobierno elegido democráticamente de @Rodrigo_PazP y apoyamos sus esfuerzos por restablecer el orden en favor de la paz, la seguridad y la estabilidad del pueblo boliviano«, completa el mensaje de la administración republicana.
En Bolivia, el asedio en las rutas de La Paz y El Alto lleva ya dos semanas, mientras los simpatizantes del expresidente y líder cocalero boliviano Evo Morales ocupan por segundo día consecutivo el aeropuerto de Chimoré, en el departamento de Cochabamba.
Así lo reportan medios bolivianos, que también precisaron que los manifestantes, vinculados a sectores cocaleros que respaldan al exmandatario, han bloqueado la pista con piedras y troncos para impedir eventuales operativos de la policía contra Morales, quien es buscado por la justicia boliviana en procedimientos ligados a presuntos delitos de trata de personas y abuso de menores.
In Bolivia, riots and blockades have created a humanitarian crisis, causing shortages of medicine, food and fuel. We condemn all actions aimed at destabilizing the democratically elected government of @Rodrigo_PazP and support it in its efforts to restore order for the peace,…
— Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (@WHAAsstSecty) May 17, 2026
Además, permanecen activos al menos 15 puntos de bloqueo en el departamento de La Paz, donde en las últimas horas se registraron enfrentamientos entre manifestantes y fuerzas de seguridad durante la operación «Corredor humanitario», organizada por el gobierno para garantizar el paso de combustible y suministros.
En ese contexto, el gobierno de Javier Milei dispuso el último sábado enviar, a pedido de su colega boliviano, «un avión Hércules C-130 de la Fuerza Aérea Argentina para la realización de puentes aéreos para el transporte de alimentos» que se producen en distintas localidades de Bolivia.
Además, la Cancillería firmó junto a otros siete países un documento conjunto para expresar la «preocupación por la situación humanitaria en Bolivia, producto de las protestas y bloqueos de carreteras que han derivado en el desabastecimiento de alimentos e insumos esenciales para la población».
El ministro de Economía boliviano, José Gabriel Espinoza, desmintió las noticias que circularon en redes sociales sobre supuestas muertes durante las operaciones de despeje, calificándolas de «absolutamente falsas», y aseguró que las fuerzas del orden no utilizaron armas letales.
El gobierno de Rodrigo Paz también confirmó contactos con sindicatos, mineros y organizaciones sociales en un intento por reabrir hoy el diálogo y reducir la tensión en el país andino.
El presidente de Colombia, Gustavo Petro, afirmó este domingo que Bolivia vive una «insurrección popular» por las protestas y bloqueos que exigen la renuncia del mandatario de ese país, Rodrigo Paz, y ofreció la disposición de su Gobierno, que termina el próximo 7 de agosto, para contribuir a una salida pacífica de la crisis.
«Bolivia vive una insurrección popular. Es la respuesta a la soberbia geopolítica», escribió Petro en su cuenta de X, donde también señaló que «Latinoamérica y el Caribe deben ser escuchados por el mundo mirando de frente en paz».
El mandatario colombiano aseguró además que su Gobierno está dispuesto, «si es invitado», a «buscar fórmulas pacíficas de salida a la crisis política boliviana».
Las declaraciones de Petro tuvieron rápido efecto en el Gobierno de Bolivia, que expresó su rechazo través de un comunicado oficial por considerar que sus consideraciones «no reflejan la relación de amistad, respeto y cooperación» entre ambos pueblos, «ni los profundos vínculos históricos que unen a ambos Estados».
«Bolivia considera improcedente cualquier interpretación o caracterización externa que distorsione la naturaleza de los acontecimientos actuales o que contribuya a profundizar la confrontación entre bolivianos», enfatizó el Gobierno boliviano.
Al mismo tiempo, advirtió: «Asimismo, Bolivia recuerda la importancia del respeto al principio de no injerencia en los asuntos internos de los Estados, conforme al Derecho Internacional y a los principios que rigen las relaciones entre países de América Latina y el Caribe».
Estamos con Bolivia!
🇦🇷🤝🇧🇴 https://t.co/MqzPBtJtTy
— Pablo Quirno (@pabloquirno) May 18, 2026
El texto oficial del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Bolivia fue reposteado por Pablo Quirno. «Estamos con Bolivia», escribió el canciller argentino en la red social X.
INTERNACIONAL
Canada confirms hantavirus case linked to cruise ship outbreak that has killed three passengers
Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship sparks concern as passengers return to US
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel discusses the Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, where three deaths occurred. Siegel explains that while human-to-human spread is rare, it’s not impossible. The segment highlights the return of passengers to the U.S. from locations like Tenerife and Praia, raising new public health concerns and emphasizing the need for containment.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Canadian health officials on Sunday confirmed that one of four Canadians who returned from the MV Hondius cruise ship, the subject of an international Andes hantavirus outbreak, tested positive for hantavirus. Three people connected to the outbreak have died.
The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed the positive test after British Columbia’s top public health officer previously described the case as a «presumptive positive.»
«One individual’s sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus,» the agency said in a statement.
Officials said additional testing will be conducted at a national laboratory. It was not immediately clear whether that testing was for confirmation, strain characterization or another purpose.
CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER DESCRIBES UNCERTAINTY AFTER 3 DEATHS AMID HANTAVIRUS PROBE
Experts say cruise outbreaks get more attention due to public reporting rules, but many travelers still plan to sail as booked. (Myloupe/Universal Images Group)
The development comes as global health officials continue monitoring the rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius, which has sickened multiple passengers.
As of May 13, the World Health Organization said 11 cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case. Those figures included three deaths. The Associated Press later reported that the Canadian confirmation brought the number of people from the ship who had tested positive to 10.
Canadian health officials said four Canadians returned home from the MV Hondius, though only one has tested positive for the virus.
RARE HANTAVIRUS HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION SUSPECTED ON LUXURY CRUISE SHIP WHERE 3 HAVE DIED
The rare Andes virus, which was linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, is the only known hantavirus strain that has the capability to spread from person to person, usually through prolonged close contact. (Andres Gutierrez/Anadolu)
The confirmed patient and a traveling companion — identified as a Yukon couple in their 70s — returned from the cruise together. The companion later tested negative, officials said.
A third person in their 70s from Vancouver Island remains in isolation, along with a British Columbia resident in their 50s.
So far, no confirmed U.S. cases tied to the cruise ship have been reported, though WHO said as of May 13 that one U.S.-repatriated passenger had inconclusive laboratory results and was undergoing retesting.
HANTAVIRUS DEATHS ON CRUISE SHIP HIGHLIGHT DANGERS OF RODENT-BORNE DISEASE
Pictured is the MV Hondius, the cruise ship tied to a hantavirus outbreak after a stop in Argentina that left three passengers dead. (Europa Press Canarias via Getty Images)
Last week, however, health officials in Ontario County, New York, announced they were investigating a suspected locally acquired hantavirus case unrelated to the cruise ship.
The Ontario County Public Health Department said there was no risk to the general public. Officials also said the strain typically seen in the United States is not known to spread from person to person.
The outbreak linked to the MV Hondius began after the Dutch cruise ship, carrying 147 passengers and crew members, departed Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic voyage.
TRAPPED CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER SHARES UPDATE ON CLEANLINESS OF SHIP AMID DEADLY HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK
The outbreak has prompted heightened precautions internationally, including in the Netherlands, where Radboud University Medical Center quarantined 12 staff members after officials said a hantavirus patient’s blood and urine were not handled under the strictest protocols recommended for the virus strain.
The outbreak has also sparked comparisons to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel previously told Fox News Digital there is «no comparison.»
He noted hantavirus is difficult to spread.
Passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken Hondius cruise ship walk with their belongings after disembarking at Eindhoven Air Base, Netherlands, on May 12. (Piroschka van de Wouw)
«It’s not airborne … in terms of respiratory droplets hanging in the air,» he said. «It’s very difficult to transmit.»
While coronavirus «moved in the direction of humans in a significant way,» hantavirus has not, except for «very rare» cases of human-to-human transmission, he added.
The World Health Organization has assessed the risk to the global population as low, while noting that current evidence suggests subsequent human-to-human transmission may have occurred on board. Andes virus is the only hantavirus known to have documented person-to-person transmission, though such spread is considered rare.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Siegel also noted hantavirus cases have been reported in the United States for decades, though they remain «very rare.»
Fox News Digital’s Brittany Miller and Angelica Stabile, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
cruises, hantavirus, infectious disease, vancouver, outbreaks
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Top Trump administration officials, Republican lawmakers and prominent Christian leaders gathered on the National Mall on Sunday for a massive prayer rally celebrating America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
The event — «Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving» — drew thousands for worship music, speeches and prayers focused on reaffirming the United States as «One Nation Under God.»
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and House Speaker Mike Johnson all addressed the gathering, alongside numerous other political and faith figures.
In a prerecorded message, Trump read from 2 Chronicles 7, reciting the well-known Bible verse calling on people to «humble themselves» and seek God.
TRUMP CALLS ON AMERICANS TO PRAY FOR NATION AS 250TH BIRTHDAY APPROACHES: ‘ONE NATION UNDER GOD’
Attendees watch a pre-recorded video of President Donald Trump reading from the Bible during «Rededicate 250» on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on May 17, 2026. (Matthew Hatcher / AFP via Getty Images)
«If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,» Trump said.
Vance described the United States as «a nation of prayer,» saying faith has shaped the country since before its founding.
«In times of suffering and in times of triumph, millions of Americans continue to turn to prayer and their faith in God,» Vance said.
Rubio similarly tied America’s identity to Christianity.
«From the beginning, we have carried the belief that our country represents something new in the world,» Rubio said. «But the soul of our nation has always been rooted in an ancient faith.»
Gabbard urged Americans to humble themselves before God, saying the nation’s founders «knelt» and «asked for God’s mercy» before declaring independence.
FOR 2026, YOU SHOULD MAKE A RESOLUTION TO KNOW THE REVOLUTION
Johnson delivered a prayer of «rededication,» thanking God for guiding the nation since its founding.
«Heavenly Father, we thank you,» Johnson said. «Thank you so much for this great day that you’ve given us here, and we remember that your mighty hand has been upon our nation since the very beginning.»
Hegseth referenced George Washington’s faith, while Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., spoke about Christianity’s role in shaping the nation and argued prayer was central to the Civil Rights Movement.
Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr., praised Trump for encouraging Americans to «rededicate America to God.»
«This nation was founded on godly principles,» Alveda King told Fox News, adding that Martin Luther King Jr., «spoke to a crowd like this in 1963.»
Actor Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in «The Chosen,» also spoke at the event, encouraging Americans to recommit themselves to faith and prayer.
NEARLY 500 PUBLIC FIGURES FROM POLITICS TO HOLLYWOOD WILL READ BIBLE COVER TO COVER TO MARK AMERICA’S 250TH
House Speaker Mike Johnson delivers a prayer during «Rededicate 250» on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17, 2026. (Matthew Hatcher/AFP)
The event also featured appearances from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, evangelist Franklin Graham, along with performances from Grammy-winning Christian artist Chris Tomlin, among others.
Many attendees wore patriotic colors as they packed the National Mall.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Freedom 250, the nonprofit behind the event, said the gathering is part of a broader effort leading up to America’s semiquincentennial celebration on July 4, 2026.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
america 250, christianity, republicans elections, politics, donald trump, jd vance, marco rubio
El horóscopo de hoy: lunes 18 de mayo
Por qué las tendencias bajistas del dólar se imponen en el corto plazo
Rafael Westrupp elogió el Sudamericano Sub 14 organizado por la Asociación Argentina de Tenis
El juego de Patricia Bullrich en la Ciudad separa a los primos Macri, que se dividen entre la crítica y la conciliación
Triple crimen de Barracas: a dos años del lesbicidio, comienza el juicio oral contra el único acusado
Estados Unidos denunció «acciones destinadas a desestabilizar» al gobierno de Bolivia por parte de seguidores de Evo Morales
¡TERROR EN SAN MARTÍN! Motochorros asaltaron a una madre con su hijo: la desidia del Intendente y el Gobernador deja a los vecinos a la deriva
Carlos Melconian: “Hoy estamos con una afluencia de dólares que evita una crisis, pero no hay que despilfarrarlos”
Marcela Pagano respondió a los agravios de Milei, que la había tildado de “cerda”
La Justicia detectó movimientos por más de US$100.000 en las billeteras virtuales de Manuel Adorni
ECONOMIA16 horas agoCarlos Melconian: “Hoy estamos con una afluencia de dólares que evita una crisis, pero no hay que despilfarrarlos”
- POLITICA2 días ago
Marcela Pagano respondió a los agravios de Milei, que la había tildado de “cerda”
- POLITICA2 días ago
La Justicia detectó movimientos por más de US$100.000 en las billeteras virtuales de Manuel Adorni
