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A report by the US Defence Department’s inspector general has confirmed that the war with Iran has caused shortages of ammunition and advanced weapons in the US military.
Between the start of the war on 28 February and 30 June, “Operation Epic Fury” cost an estimated $33.4 billion (€29 billion). Of that, $22.3 billion was spent on munitions alone.
The report to Congress said the scale of weapons used during the conflict had resulted in “strategic inventory shortfalls” and exposed bottlenecks in the US defence industry’s ability to replenish supplies. Experts have estimated it could take around three years to restore stocks of advanced missiles and defensive interceptors to pre-war levels.
It also detailed losses of military equipment, including four F-15 fighter jets destroyed, one F-35 damaged and seven KC-135 tanker aircraft damaged or destroyed, five of them after being struck by Iranian munitions while on the ground in Saudi Arabia. Up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones, which cost around $30 million (€26 million) each, it says were also destroyed.
Responding to the report, President Trump has continued to insist that the military’s ammunition supplies are “virtually unlimited” and that weapons production is at record levels.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, Trump claimed the US was producing “more exquisite and elite weapons than at any time in our history”.
The Pentagon has maintained that the US military has the weapons it needs to fight any conflict.
The inspector general’s report also documented extensive damage to US bases from Iranian strikes. Hundreds of buildings and other structures were damaged or destroyed at bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.
The cost of repairing or rebuilding those facilities is not included in the $33.4 billion estimate. US authorities have not yet determined whether all of the damaged facilities will be rebuilt or who will foot the bill.
Additional sources • AFP, AP