This isn’t just about missile inventories. It’s about a superpower stretching its supply chains thin while picking fights on multiple fronts. As analyst Brian Berletic warned: “The US is unprepared for the scale of war it is provoking around the globe” (RAND might call it “Overextending America”—assuming they ever write the sequel). The numbers may look technical, but the pattern is strategic exhaustion. Below is the report—and my commentary on why shortfalls in interceptors are just a symptom of something far broader.

Israel Is Running Low on Air Defense Interceptors

Additionally, US stockpiles of interceptors were stretched thin before Israel launched its war of choice against Iran. When asked last month if the US would provide Ukraine with the air defenses it was requesting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio replied that Washington could not send more Patriot missiles and launchers because “frankly, we don’t have” the supply. 

The MEE reporting was confirmed later in the day by the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. “Israel is running low on defensive Arrow interceptors,” WSJ explained. 

The Arrow interceptor is one of the three stages of Israeli air defenses. According to the Post, Tel Aviv also has a limited supply of Iron Dome interceptors. “Without resupplies from the United States or greater involvement by U.S. forces, some assessments project Israel can maintain its missile defense for 10 or 12 more days if Iran maintains a steady tempo of attacks,” a source told the outlet. 

…

Along with Israeli-operated air defenses, the US has deployed THAAD and Patriot systems to Israel. 

H/T: Natylie’s Place: Understanding Russia

Israel’s Arrow interceptors may be running low, but it’s worth pointing out that the Patriot system relies on a separate class of interceptors. The same goes for Iron Dome, which uses the Tamir missile—a compact interceptor built for short-range threats like rockets and drones. Earlier this year, the U.S. quietly retrieved around 90 Patriot interceptors from storage in Israel, rerouting them to Ukraine via Poland. In the meantime, Washington has been backfilling Israel’s defenses with THAAD batteries and U.S. Navy warships equipped to intercept incoming missiles. These THAAD systems, operated by U.S. personnel, are designed to intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes. But there’s mounting concern that American stockpiles of THAAD interceptors are being depleted faster than they can be replenished, too.

That said, I still need to dig further, but I suspect China’s rare earth export controls may be exacerbating production constraints. The production of these advanced missile systems heavily relies on rare earth elements, which are essential for manufacturing various key components, from guidance magnets to power systems. If Beijing’s export restrictions are indeed throttling global supply chains, it could quietly compound the shortages. A strategic masterstroke on their part—accidental or not, the timing’s impeccable.