Trump halts strikes on Iran over air defense missile shortage - WSJ
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
The US has postponed a prepared large-scale military operation against Iran—the main reason being the depletion of Patriot interceptor missile stocks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
How many Patriots have already been spent
According to estimates by analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), at least 1,500 Patriot interceptor missiles have been used since the start of the war with Iran, leaving the US with fewer than 1,000 units in its arsenal.
The analysts warned in their April report that depleted ammunition stocks had created a short-term risk, adding that a war against a strong adversary like China would consume ammunition much faster than the conflict in Ukraine.
The White House, meanwhile, stated that publishing current data on the consumption of Patriot and Thaad missiles would threaten national security - precisely because of the high number of interceptors already used.
Why the operation was postponed
US military forces were ready on Friday to launch an intensive series of strikes on Iran lasting up to two weeks. However, the operation was put on hold - officially in the name of diplomacy, but in fact also due to debate over the risks to air defense stocks.
The White House was informed about the depletion of stocks by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine - in his view, the low stockpiles do not make the operation impossible, but they do increase risks. At the same time, Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads Central Command, believes that intensified strikes themselves would degrade Iran's ability to launch missiles, so the deficit is not critical.
What Trump himself denies
Trump publicly dismisses the ammunition problem.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, he said the country had significantly larger ammunition stockpiles than any other nation and more than were necessary.
Will diplomacy return
On Friday, Trump hinted that the diplomatic option is again 'on the table,' and that US officials are in communication with Iran.
He told journalists that there were two possible approaches: continuing and even intensifying military action, or pursuing what he described as the "smarter strategy" of reaching a deal, adding that the other side wanted to negotiate.
Oman and Qatar, according to the administration, are trying to facilitate the resumption of negotiations.
Even before this decision to pause, Trump had stated that he was considering the possibility of resuming a large-scale military operation against Iran; according to him, the strikes as part of a potential new campaign were to be larger than those in the spring.
Damages from Iran's attacks on vessels would be compensated using frozen Iranian assets, as Trump himself had previously stated.
