A mandatory report to Congress has confirmed a significant shortfall in United States ammunition stocks, directly attributed to the ongoing military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury (OEF). This finding contradicts recent assertions by President Donald Trump regarding the nation's munitions reserves.
The inspector general's report, covering the period from February 28 to June 30, estimates the cost of OEF at $33.4 billion, with $22.3 billion allocated to expended munitions. The report explicitly states that "munitions expenditure on OEF has resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and revealed industrial base bottlenecks for munitions resupply." OEF is defined by US Central Command (CENTCOM) as a joint campaign with Israel aimed at diminishing Iran's military power projection capabilities.
In response to these shortfalls and production delays, the Pentagon is implementing measures to streamline procurement processes, reduce production lead times, and bolster stockpiles of critical materials and components. However, the report acknowledges that expanding production capacities will require substantial lead time.
The identified ammunition shortages are likely to raise concerns among international partners such as Ukraine and Taiwan, both of whom depend on US arms supplies for their defense against larger adversaries. Ukraine has expressed an urgent need for interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems, while Taiwan relies on arms agreements with Washington to deter potential aggression from China.
Despite these confirmed shortages, President Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns about depleted weapons stores, stating recently that the US possesses "virtually unlimited" ammunition. He also posted on his Truth Social platform that the United States is manufacturing "more Exquisite and Elite Weapons than at any time in our History." Previous reports from CNN indicated shortages of long-range guided missiles and air-defense interceptors, with the US military reportedly having "nearly exhausted 80%" of its stock of THAAD interceptors.
The report also details significant materiel losses for the US forces during OEF, including the destruction of four F-15 fighter jets, damage to one F-35 fighter and seven KC-135 tanker aircraft, and the loss of up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones. Additionally, Iran targeted the US Navy's primary logistics hub in Bahrain with drone and ballistic missile strikes. The report does not quantify the costs associated with damage to hundreds of buildings and structures at US bases across multiple Middle Eastern countries due to Iranian strikes, as rebuilding plans and cost allocation remain uncertain.
