"The Wall Street Journal": Washington Transfers Large Quantities of Ammunition to the Middle East - Sarmad

U.S. officials said that the United States rushed to send large quantities of ammunition to the Middle East to combat Iran, raising concerns among military planners that the loss of firepower diminishes America’s ability to defend against potential threats from China and Russia, according to The Wall Street Journal.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is directly overseeing the redistribution and movement of ammunition and strategic weapons stockpiles through what is known as the “order book,” aiming to fill gaps across various military theaters amid heavy consumption of directed munitions and air defense systems.

Security experts and military officials believe that arms support and the increasing consumption amid Middle East crises are placing unprecedented pressure on U.S. supply chains and the military-industrial base, raising concerns among military leadership about facing shortages of vital stockpiles needed to deter any potential confrontation in the Indo-Pacific region or in Europe.

U.S. strategic stockpiles of weapons and ammunition have seen a sharp decline and increased depletion rates due to recent confrontations and military developments involving Iran, sparking widespread concerns among military command officials and the Pentagon regarding Washington’s ability to maintain readiness and strategic deterrence against major powers such as China and Russia.

The Associated Press noted that this shortage reflects the repercussions of Trump’s decision to launch a war on Iran, which has now entered its sixth month, pointing out the transfer of U.S. missile stockpiles from Europe to the Middle East, where the United States and its allies have used large numbers of interceptor missiles, including Patriot missiles, to counter Iranian drones and missiles.