Washington DC June 18 2025: Israel is running low on defensive “Arrow” missile interceptors, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing an unnamed US official.
The shortage has raised concerns about the country’s ability to continue to counter long-range ballistic missiles from Iran, the report said.
Since Israel launched its shock operation on Friday to remove the “existential threat” of the Iranian nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities, the Islamic Republic has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel.
So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 wounded.
According to the Journal report, the US has known about the shortage of Arrow interceptors for months, and has been working to bolster Israel’s air defenses accordingly.
But those stocks are limited, too. Having dispatched many to Israel, “there is now concern about the US burning through interceptors as well,” the newspaper said.
A report in The Washington Post Tuesday cited a person briefed on US and Israeli intelligence, who said that, according to “some assessments,” Israel can maintain its air defense for 10-12 days at the current rate of Iranian attacks — which have lessened since the start of the fighting last week — before it will require the US to replenish its stocks or get more involved in the war.
The source also said that already by later this week, Israel “will need to select what they want to intercept,” adding: “The system is already overwhelmed”.
