Pentagon leaders are increasingly concerned about the rapid depletion of the United States’ Tomahawk missile reserves, just a month into the conflict with Iran.
So far, the U.S. has deployed 850 Tomahawk missiles, each valued between $2 million and $3.6 million, depending on the model. These missiles are highly valued for their ability to hit targets up to 1,000 miles away, minimizing the risk to pilots.
Inside the Pentagon, whispers of worry are growing over the challenges in replenishing these cruise missiles.
An official, speaking to the Washington Post, described the missile stockpile as ‘alarmingly low.’
Another source indicated that the supply is nearing ‘Winchester’ status, a military term indicating a lack of ammunition.
Although the total number of Tomahawks in the Pentagon’s arsenal remains classified, production rates are limited, with only a few hundred produced annually. Last year, the defense budget recorded the purchase of just 57 Tomahawks.
Now, officials are urgently discussing whether Tomahawk missiles in other theaters, like the Indo-Pacific, may need to be shipped to the Middle East as the US continues its offensive against the Islamic Republic.
Tomahawk cruise missiles have been a staple of American military might since they were first used in the Gulf War by George H W Bush.
One Pentagon official told the Washington Post that US Tomahawk cruise missile stockpiles are ‘alarmingly low’
Tomahawks can be launched by US surface vessels or submarines
But the widespread usage of the bespoke military tech in the US war in Iran has rattled some Pentagon officials who are now sounding the alarm about the depleted Tomahawk stockpiles.
The Pentagon hit back against the unnamed officials’ concern in a statement to the Daily Mail.
‘The Department of War has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the President’s choosing and on any timeline,’ Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said.
Officials are also discussing how to ramp up production of the cruise missiles to meet heightened demand.
Military planners are tracking the burn rate of the Tomahawks and calculating how many the US may need for not only its war against Iran, but also how many may be needed for other potential conflicts, sources told the Post.
Tomahawks allow the US military to communicate with the missile via satellite, striking pre-programmed targets or locating new targets in real-time using GPS.
They can also hang above the battlefield, with a camera on board which can relay a live feed of other strikes to commanders.
Many were fired in the opening days of Operation Epic Fury, including one which struck an elementary school, leaving 165 people dead, in the Iranian city of Minab.
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D Black (DDG 119) fires a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) in support of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026 in the Mediterranean Sea
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that the US has taken control of Iranian airspace, meaning that aircraft can fly in place of the sophisticated missiles and drop gravity bombs.
But this still carries risk. A US F-35 stealth fighter was struck over enemy airspace last week and was forced to make an emergency landing at a US base in the Middle East.
The Pentagon has also fired more than 1,000 air-defense interceptor missiles in response to Iranian retaliatory strikes across the region, including from the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems.
These are some of the most advance in the world and the US also has a limited stockpile of these munitions, which cost far more than the cheaper missiles and drones fired by the Islamic regime.
The depleting inventory of missiles could cause headaches for the administration in a prolonged campaign with Iran as it tries to force open the Strait of Hormuz amid rising oil and gas prices.
Oil prices climbed higher on Friday after two Chinese vessels were blocked from transiting the Strait, indicating that Iran is dug-in for the fight.
International benchmark Brent crude futures rose 2.8 percent to $111 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate futures pushed higher by 2.7 percent to $97.
Donald Trump appears to understand the importance of building out the US’ arsenal of high-end weapons.
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Is this smart strategy – or a warning the war is becoming unsustainable?
Videos from within Iran show the devastating impact of Tomahawks
Just a week into the war, the President invited executives from the largest US defense manufacturers to the White House for a meeting.
Trump confirmed that the companies agreed to ‘quadruple’ production of the ‘exquisite-class’ weaponry, including hypersonic missiles and others with high-precision, long-range capabilities, like the Tomahawk cruise missile.
RTX, a prime US defense contractor whose executives attended the White House meeting, is the sole manufacturer of the weapons. They are made at a plant in Tucson, Arizona, and are used by some US allies, like the UK and Australia.
Tomahawks have been used to strike targets deep within Iran’s borders without putting US soldiers at risk, while Iran has been forced to use much of its ballistic missile inventory to strike back.
Though just how many ballistic missiles Iran has to counterattack remains a mystery, multiple sources told Reuters on Friday.
They told the outlet that the US can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed one-third of the Islamic Republic’s arsenal.
The condition of another third of Iran’s ballistic missiles is more hazy, but officials believe they are likely buried under rubble, damaged or destroyed.
