Is US running 'alarmingly low' on Tomahawks? Over 850 missiles fired in 4 weeks in Iran

Washington: The US military has fired over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in the first four weeks of its ongoing conflict with Iran, rapidly depleting its stockpile of precision weapons and raising concerns within the Pentagon, according to The Washington Post report.

The long-range missiles, capable of travelling over 1,000 miles, have been a key component of US strikes, allowing forces to hit targets without sending pilots into heavily defended airspace. According to the US media house, The Washington Post, one official described stock levels in the Middle East as “alarmingly low,” while another cautioned the military is approaching “Winchester”, a term used when ammunition runs out.

However, the Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, said that the US military “has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the President’s choosing.” He also criticised reports highlighting shortages, claiming they attempt to portray the military as weak and “frighten and sow doubt in the minds of the American people.”

The missile usage has been particularly intense since the launch of “Operation Epic Fury,” the Trump administration’s campaign against Iran, which began late last month. Many of the Tomahawks were fired in the initial phase as US and Israeli forces targeted Iranian air defence systems, missile infrastructure and strategic sites.

Since the conflict began, Iran has carried out retaliatory missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory and US-linked bases across the region. The US has responded with additional strikes while also deploying advanced air defence systems such as Patriot and THAAD, firing over 1,000 interceptor missiles to counter incoming threats.