Concerns in Congress Over Depleting U.S. Defenses: Will Washington Be Forced to Choose Between Protecting the Gulf and Supporting Ukraine?

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

American reports have revealed rising concern among political and military circles in Washington, D.C. about the United States’ ability to protect its forces deployed in the Middle East and its regional allies, amid continuing Iranian missile attacks and the increasing consumption of air-defense systems and interceptor missiles.

The magazine Politico quoted six U.S. officials and lawmakers as saying that concerns within United States Congresscenter on the possibility that tens of thousands of American troops in the region—along with regional allies—could be left without adequate protection if the current confrontation continues at the same pace.

Concerns Over Interceptor Missile Shortages

Several lawmakers raised direct questions about the United States’ ability to sustain a prolonged war, asking:

“Do we have enough interceptor missiles to fight this open-ended war at a time when Iran does not appear ready to back down?”

A U.S. Department of Defense official indicated that Washington and its Gulf allies have already begun to feel a shortage in some air-defense systems and interceptor missiles only days after the large-scale Iranian response began, targeting several countries in the Persian Gulf region and Iraq.

A Dilemma Between Ukraine and the Gulf

The official explained that countries within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had been seeking to purchase additional Patriot air defense system batteries from the United States in order to transfer them to Ukraine, but the escalation in the Middle East has imposed a new reality.

He added:

“We had been pushing to move interceptor missiles from the Middle East to Ukraine, but the question today is different: Will we have to balance between our allies? And will we abandon support for Ukraine in order to protect our forces and allies in the Gulf?”

He noted that Washington has worked over the past two years to increase military production, but the existence of multiple military fronts makes it extremely difficult to meet all allied needs.

Rapid Depletion of the U.S. Arsenal

According to data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, U.S. forces have so far used approximately 20% of their stockpile of SM‑3 interceptor missile missiles, in addition to nearly 50% of the missiles used by the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) air-defense system within a short period of the confrontation.

By contrast, experts believe that Iran’s missile arsenal—operationally less costly—appears to be in a relatively stronger position as successive waves of missiles continue to be launched.

Concerns Extend to a Potential Conflict with China

For his part, Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the American center, warned that the depletion is not limited to air-defense missiles but also includes precision offensive weapons such as the Tomahawk cruise missile.

Karako stated that these weapons are a key component of any potential future confrontation with China, adding:

“It is unfortunate to waste a Tomahawk missile in battles that could be managed with less costly means. These munitions are also essential for deterring China or fighting a potential war with it.”

The Option of Reducing Fronts

According to officials and lawmakers who spoke to Politico, increasing military production alone will not be enough to compensate for the growing shortage of interceptor missiles and precision munitions.

They stressed that the most realistic solution for Washington is to avoid opening new conflict fronts, as this remains the only option to prevent the depletion of the United States’ strategic military arsenal.