US and Arab Allies Fire Over 1,000 Patriot Missiles in Iran Conflict
US and Arab allies have used over 1,000 Patriot interceptor missiles in the first days of the Iran conflict, raising concerns about global air defense shortages.
In the first eleven days of military operations against Iran, the United States and its Arab allies used more than 1,000 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, Bloomberg reports.
According to the agency, that figure is roughly one and a half times higher than the total number of comparable missiles Ukraine has received from Western partners over the four years of the conflict. The missiles in question are PAC-3 interceptors designed to destroy ballistic missiles and other aerial threats.
Amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East, analysts are increasingly warning about the risk of a global shortage of air-defense missiles.
Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky told Politico that Ukraine’s air defense network is facing serious strain. He indicated that despite ongoing military assistance from the United States and its allies, the country is experiencing a sharp shortage of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems. He also suggested that a significant share of these interceptors is currently being used by U.S. forces in the Middle East, a situation that ultimately complicates the protection of Ukrainian territory.