First confirmation from the US administration: "The war in Iran created a shortage of munitions"

A first report by the Pentagon Inspector General officially confirms that the war in Iran caused a shortage of munitions in US stockpiles, contradicting denials by President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth. The report reveals strategic gaps in inventories, production bottlenecks, and a war cost of $33.4 billion by the end of June, of which $22.3 billion was for munitions. It also reveals the extent of damage to US equipment and forces.

A first report by the Pentagon Inspector General on the war in Iran states that the extensive use of weapons created "strategic gaps in inventories" and exposed "bottlenecks in the industrial base" that make replenishment difficult. This finding is particularly striking amid attempts by the Trump administration to fend off reports of weapons stockpile depletion. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth denied reports of a shortage, and Trump claimed the military has "almost unlimited" quantities of ammunition. The report, submitted to Congress, presents a more complex picture: consumption of munitions in combat against Iran led to gaps in strategic inventories, and limitations in supply chains were revealed. The cost of the war by June 29 stood at approximately $33.4 billion, of which $22.3 billion was for munitions. The report reveals that Iran damaged or destroyed dozens of US aircraft, including four F-15E aircraft, one F-35A aircraft, and up to 30 MQ-9 drones. By the end of June, seven US soldiers had been killed in operational activity and 417 wounded. The report does not address a possible US strike on an elementary school in Iran that led to the deaths of 175 people.