Israel Reportedly Faces Missile Interceptor Shortage Amid Rising Iranian Attacks

Israel is facing a dwindling stockpile of Arrow missile interceptors just as Iran intensifies its missile barrages, including two hypersonic salvos on Tuesday night, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

According to the Journal, the decreasing supply is prompting serious concern over Israel’s capacity to protect itself from continued long-range Iranian strikes if the war drags on.

The report, citing an anonymous senior U.S. official, notes that Washington has long known about the shortage and has been bolstering Israel’s defenses with the American-made THAAD system and Navy ships capable of intercepting incoming missiles.

In response to the escalating conflict, the Pentagon has deployed additional missile defense resources to the Middle East. However, officials are reportedly worried that the U.S. may burn through its own stockpile of interceptors too quickly.

Tensions further spiked Tuesday night when Iran announced it had launched Fattah-1 hypersonic missiles toward Israel. These missiles, which travel over five times the speed of sound, are especially difficult to intercept.

Israel’s Arrow defense system, a joint Israeli-American project, is specifically designed to stop such long-range missiles. But the ongoing shortage raises the risk of major cities like Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem being exposed to attack.

The growing crisis also increases the likelihood of deeper U.S. involvement, with President Trump now weighing whether to take direct action in the expanding conflict.

While Trump has not committed to deploying American forces, he has reaffirmed his support for Israel and voiced rising frustration with Tehran.

In addition to missile defense systems, the U.S. has dispatched the USS Nimitz carrier strike group and over 30 aerial refueling tankers to the European region in support of regional military readiness.

On Tuesday, Trump convened with his National Security Council to discuss possible U.S. responses to Iran’s aggression.