The United States military is facing strategic shortages of ammunition and advanced weapons following months of combat operations against Iran, according to a new Pentagon Inspector General report.
The report, submitted to Congress, estimates that the US military’s Operation Epic Fury cost $33.4 billion between February 28 and June 30, 2026, including $22.3 billion spent on munitions alone.
It said the scale of weapons used during the conflict had resulted in “strategic inventory shortfalls” and exposed bottlenecks in the US defence industry’s ability to replenish key munitions.
The findings highlight the strain placed on American weapons stocks by the prolonged conflict, particularly involving advanced missiles and air-defence interceptors.
The report also documented significant losses and damage to US military equipment. It put equipment losses at about $3.7 billion, while noting that the estimate did not include the cost of repairing buildings and other infrastructure damaged by Iranian strikes.
Iranian attacks damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and other structures at US military bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan, according to the report.
Despite the findings, President Donald Trump has repeatedly dismissed concerns about depleted weapons stocks, saying US ammunition supplies are “virtually unlimited”.
The Pentagon has, however, acknowledged the challenge of rebuilding inventories. The report specifically identified bottlenecks in the defence industrial base that could complicate efforts to replenish weapons consumed during the operation.
The conflict has also placed pressure on supplies of systems such as Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Previous assessments have warned that restoring some advanced weapons stocks to pre-war levels could take several years.
The latest findings provide one of the clearest assessments so far of the financial and military impact of the conflict, which entered its seventh month.
Beyond the cost of munitions and equipment losses, the report said hundreds of US military structures were damaged during Iranian attacks, adding another layer of financial and logistical pressure not reflected in the $33.4 billion operational estimate.
The findings are likely to intensify scrutiny of Washington’s ability to sustain prolonged military operations while simultaneously maintaining weapons inventories for other potential contingencies.
