U.S. Military Faces Strategic Weapons Shortages After Months-Long War With Iran

After months of direct conflict with Iran, the U.S. military is facing shortages of strategic weapons and significant challenges in replenishing its stockpiles of advanced munitions, according to a U.S. governmThe report also provides a detailed assessment of extensive damage to U.S. military facilities across the Middle East. Hundreds of structures at American ent watchdog report released Monday.

The assessment was prepared jointly by inspectors general from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

It marks the first official assessment from Washington detailing the extent of damage to U.S. military assets across the Middle East, as well as the depletion of critical ammunition supplies during the conflict.

According to estimates cited by experts in the report, defense contractors could need at least three years to restore U.S. inventories of advanced missiles and interceptors to their pre-war levels.

The affected U.S. military facilities were located in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan. Iranian attacks reportedly damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures at bases across these countries.

Several U.S. military aircraft and drones were also damaged or destroyed in the attacks, the report said.

The findings highlight the significant strain the prolonged conflict has placed on U.S. military resources and the challenges Washington could face in rebuilding its stocks of sophisticated weapons and repairing damaged infrastructure.