As Trump caused American munitions to run low, Iran adapted it's attacks to score strikes on US airbases

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Cypress

Well-known member

How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled​

The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran’s war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors.

During five intense days last month, Iran launched waves of drones and missiles at U.S. troops on three bases in Jordan, hoping to break through the formidable American air defenses.

Using advanced missiles that can suddenly change course, Iran pummeled the bases’ defensive systems, forcing the Americans to burn through scarce supplies of Patriot interceptors.

On the fifth day, the Iranians broke through.

A missile struck prefabricated housing units at one of the bases on July 17, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding more than 100. Pentagon officials later acknowledged that scores of other troops were injured and several aircraft damaged in attacks in Jordan that week.

“We shot down almost all the missiles,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said when asked about the fatal attack.


www.nytimes.com

How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled

The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran’s war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
The claim that “Trump caused American munitions to run low” is a partisan oversimplification. U.S. high-end munitions stocks (especially certain precision strike missiles and air-defense interceptors) are significantly depleted, and this has constrained options and contributed to Iran scoring some hits on U.S. bases. But the immediate driver is high expenditure in the ongoing 2026 Iran conflict under Trump, layered on top of longer-standing shortfalls that predated his second term.


What the evidence shows​


Multiple reports from Reuters, The New York Times, The Atlantic, CBS, CSIS analyses, and others document heavy use of key systems since the Iran war began around late February 2026 (often called Operation Epic Fury or similar). Examples include:


  • Near-exhaustion or very low remaining stocks of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) in some accounts.
  • Large fractions of Tomahawk cruise missiles, JASSM variants, Patriot interceptors, and THAAD interceptors expended (CSIS estimates in various snapshots showed roughly half or more for several systems by mid-2026, with further drawdowns later).
  • Replenishment timelines measured in years for some items due to production constraints, even with ramped-up contracts.

Iran has adapted tactics—using maneuvering missiles, saturation attacks, and coordination with proxies—to stress U.S. defenses. This forced conservation of scarce interceptors, allowing some missiles to get through (including the July 2026 strikes on bases in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers). The forum thread title tracks a New York Times piece on exactly that dynamic.


Trump has publicly denied severe shortages, called reports of them “treasonous” leaks, emphasized ongoing production and “massive amounts” of certain munitions, and at times blamed prior Biden-era transfers (Ukraine, Israel, etc.). Administration officials have given mixed signals—acknowledging pressure on specific high-end items while insisting overall capacity remains sufficient for current goals.


Broader context, not a simple “Trump caused it”​


  • Pre-existing shortfalls: Stockpiles of these exquisite munitions were already viewed as inadequate for a prolonged high-intensity fight (especially vs. a peer like China) well before February 2026. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine reportedly flagged low levels to Trump before the Iran campaign intensified. Prior use against Houthis, aid to Ukraine/Israel, and long-term under-investment in magazine depth all contributed.
  • Industrial base reality: U.S. production rates for items like Tomahawks, Patriots, and THAAD were modest for years. Ramping takes time; even accelerated efforts under both Biden and Trump do not instantly refill magazines.
  • Who “caused” the current state: The war itself under Trump drove the rapid recent depletion. Deciding to prosecute it at high intensity with standoff weapons accelerated the drawdown. Analysts (including at AEI and CSIS) note the shortfall predates the current administration, was not fixed adequately under Biden, and was only partially addressed earlier under Trump. The war exacerbated a known vulnerability rather than creating it from nothing.

In short: Yes, critical munitions are running low in ways that affect operations and risk posture elsewhere. No, it is not accurate to pin sole or primary causation on Trump in the way the forum thread headline frames it. The expenditure is real and recent; the underlying inventory and production problems are structural and multi-administration.


 
Cypress said:

How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled​

The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran’s war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors.

During five intense days last month, Iran launched waves of drones and missiles at U.S. troops on three bases in Jordan, hoping to break through the formidable American air defenses.

Using advanced missiles that can suddenly change course, Iran pummeled the bases’ defensive systems, forcing the Americans to burn through scarce supplies of Patriot interceptors.

On the fifth day, the Iranians broke through.

A missile struck prefabricated housing units at one of the bases on July 17, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding more than 100. Pentagon officials later acknowledged that scores of other troops were injured and several aircraft damaged in attacks in Jordan that week.

“We shot down almost all the missiles,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said when asked about the fatal attack.


www.nytimes.com

How Iran Adapted Its Attacks as U.S. War Munitions Dwindled

The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran’s war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
Click to expand...
So, Iran wasted hundreds of drones and missiles on what they considered a relatively soft US target and after days of trying finally managed to get a few of the weapons they launched through to cause next to no real damage.

Sounds to me like Iran is desperate and knows their drones and missiles are so inferior to US / Western defense systems that they had to pick the easiest target they could find to inflict a pinprick of damage in retaliation for the mass destruction of their own forces going inside Iran by the US et al.

It is also obvious that Iran has almost run out of drones and ballistic missiles simply by counting the number of strikes they launch.

www.thedefensenews.com

Iran’s Ballistic Missile and Drone Strikes Drop Sharply After Five Days of Conflict as Fuel Supplies and Launch Platforms Dwindle

Washington, D.C., — March 4, 2026 : Operational data from the first days of the ongoing conflict involving Iran and a U.S.–Israeli coalition indicat
www.thedefensenews.com www.thedefensenews.com

The five-day total amounts to approximately 735 ballistic missiles and 1,165 drones launched by Iranian forces.

From Day 1 to Day 5, ballistic missile launches declined by roughly 88 percent, while drone deployments dropped by about 91 percent from their peak on Day 2.

And that was at the beginning of this conflict. Now, Iran is only sporadically launching drone and missile attacks, as are their allies the Houthi, because they have so few systems left.

So, whatever the Trump hating MSM reports, however lopsided and negative, is based almost entirely on cherry picking information and presenting it in the least favorable, to Trump, way they can. All I see is Iran getting curb stomped and very occasionally landing a lame assed, poorly aimed, punch in retaliation. Iran is getting a thorough 'Bully Beatdown.'
 
T. A. Gardner said:
It is also obvious that Iran has almost run out of drones and ballistic missiles simply by counting the number of strikes they launch.
Click to expand...

Iran is reconstituting weapons systems and rebuilding infrastructure with surprising speed, confounding prior U.S. intelligence assessments​

Satellite Images Show Iran Is Rebuilding. Fast.​

Tehran’s speedy recovery from damage done by the U.S. and Israeli air campaign raises concerns about its effectiveness​

Iran has quickly rebuilt infrastructure damaged during the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign over recent months, from missile bases nestled deep inside mountains to bridges, ports and production facilities, according to Israeli and Western officials and a review of satellite imagery.

The faster-than-expected progress worries some Israeli officials. It helps explain Iran’s continued resilience despite an air campaign that involved more than 20,000 strikes at the height of the war and that continues along Iran’s coast in an effort to break Tehran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz.


 
Cypress said:

Iran is reconstituting weapons systems and rebuilding infrastructure with surprising speed, confounding prior U.S. intelligence assessments​

Satellite Images Show Iran Is Rebuilding. Fast.​

Tehran’s speedy recovery from damage done by the U.S. and Israeli air campaign raises concerns about its effectiveness​

Iran has quickly rebuilt infrastructure damaged during the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign over recent months, from missile bases nestled deep inside mountains to bridges, ports and production facilities, according to Israeli and Western officials and a review of satellite imagery.

The faster-than-expected progress worries some Israeli officials. It helps explain Iran’s continued resilience despite an air campaign that involved more than 20,000 strikes at the height of the war and that continues along Iran’s coast in an effort to break Tehran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz.


Click to expand...
Then let's bomb the fuck out of the basic industries that supply the materials for that rebuilding. They're easy targets. They're totally undefended by the Iranians.

Unlike you, I don't want Iran to win.
 
T. A. Gardner said:
Then let's bomb the fuck out of the basic industries that supply the materials for that rebuilding. They're easy targets. They're totally undefended by the Iranians.

Unlike you, I don't want Iran to win.
Click to expand...
Crazy Trump ought to fire Hegseth and hire you to take his place.
 
T. A. Gardner said:
So, Iran wasted hundreds of drones and missiles on what they considered a relatively soft US target and after days of trying finally managed to get a few of the weapons they launched through to cause next to no real damage.

Sounds to me like Iran is desperate and knows their drones and missiles are so inferior to US / Western defense systems that they had to pick the easiest target they could find to inflict a pinprick of damage in retaliation for the mass destruction of their own forces going inside Iran by the US et al.

It is also obvious that Iran has almost run out of drones and ballistic missiles simply by counting the number of strikes they launch.

www.thedefensenews.com

Iran’s Ballistic Missile and Drone Strikes Drop Sharply After Five Days of Conflict as Fuel Supplies and Launch Platforms Dwindle

Washington, D.C., — March 4, 2026 : Operational data from the first days of the ongoing conflict involving Iran and a U.S.–Israeli coalition indicat
www.thedefensenews.com www.thedefensenews.com

The five-day total amounts to approximately 735 ballistic missiles and 1,165 drones launched by Iranian forces.

From Day 1 to Day 5, ballistic missile launches declined by roughly 88 percent, while drone deployments dropped by about 91 percent from their peak on Day 2.

And that was at the beginning of this conflict. Now, Iran is only sporadically launching drone and missile attacks, as are their allies the Houthi, because they have so few systems left.

So, whatever the Trump hating MSM reports, however lopsided and negative, is based almost entirely on cherry picking information and presenting it in the least favorable, to Trump, way they can. All I see is Iran getting curb stomped and very occasionally landing a lame assed, poorly aimed, punch in retaliation. Iran is getting a thorough 'Bully Beatdown.'
Click to expand...
Iran likely spent the price of one patriot missile, and they can rebuilt that stuff in a feww days/weeks.

We spent billions and it will take decades to replace the munitions.

We are getting our asses kicked.
 
Cypress said:
Iran is reconstituting weapons systems and rebuilding infrastructure with surprising speed, confounding prior U.S. intelligence assessments Satellite Images Show Iran Is Rebuilding. Fast. Tehran’s speedy recovery from damage done by the U.S. and Israeli air campaign raises concerns about its effectiveness Iran has quickly rebuilt infrastructure damaged during the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign over recent months, from missile bases nestled deep inside mountains to bridges, ports and production facilities, according to Israeli and Western officials and a review of satellite imagery. The faster-than-expected progress worries some Israeli officials. It helps explain Iran’s continued resilience despite an air campaign that involved more than 20,000 strikes at the height of the war and that continues along Iran’s coast in an effort to break Tehran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Click to expand...

If prior intelligence assessment were wrong. why should anyone believe the latest ones? :thinking:
 
Crepitus said:
Iran likely spent the price of one patriot missile, and they can rebuilt that stuff in a feww days/weeks. We spent billions and it will take decades to replace the munitions. We are getting our asses kicked.
Click to expand...

Are you pretending to be sad about that?
 
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