US weapons stockpiles are being depleted at a pace that is raising alarm inside President Donald Trump’s administration, as fighting in the Middle East drives heavy demand for advanced missiles and other precision-guided munitions.

According to CBS, concerns are spreading among senior US military officials and members of the intelligence community. They acknowledge that Washington cannot sustain the rate at which precision weapons were used during the opening phase of the conflict with Iran.

American defense manufacturers are unable to produce missiles quickly enough to fully replace the munitions being consumed by US Central Command, which oversees military operations across the region. The pressure has intensified as hostilities with Iran have gathered momentum again.

Officials describe supplies of ATACMS missiles and ammunition for HIMARS rocket systems as particularly limited. US forces have also used large numbers of Patriot and THAAD interceptors, along with drones, during operations in the Middle East. Consumption has already outpaced the defense industry’s ability to restore these reserves.

CBS reported that Washington is not currently facing shortages of GMLRS rockets used by mobile artillery systems or of JASSM and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The greatest concern centers on air defense inventories. These systems are needed to intercept cruise and ballistic missiles, aircraft and attack drones, making them critical to both ongoing operations and preparations for other potential conflicts.

To support the campaign in the Middle East, the Pentagon transferred some interceptor missiles from other parts of the world, including the Indo-Pacific. US officials now fear that continued depletion could weaken the country’s readiness for a possible confrontation in that region.