How depleted weapons stockpiles could affect the Iran conflict
Weapons stocks will not alone decide the outcome of this conflict, but it's certainly a significant factor, writes the BBC's Jonathan Beale.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"virtually unlimited supply"
— Donald Trump , Politician
"Iran's ballistic missile launches were down 86% from the first day of the fighting"
— Gen Dan Caine , Other
"The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better – As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons."
— Donald Trump , Politician
"The question is who has the deeper magazines of key weapons, and the big unknown is how deep Iran inventories are."
— Stacie Pettyjohn , Academic
"It’s a war of attrition … If a single missile strikes something like a university, a hospital or a power plant it can be very costly."
— Tal Inbar , Academic
"Because if the strike does not succeed in removing a regime, there remain thousands of people in Iran who are capable of reconstituting a programme like this."
— Jeffrey Lewis , Academic
"In the aftermath of the attack there would be greater motivation within the remnants of the regime pushing Iran towards weaponisation no matter how this conflict ends."
— Kelsey Davenport , Academic
"We don’t see a structured programme to manufacture nuclear weapons."
— Rafael Grossi , Executive
"The US and Israel are prioritising breaking Iran’s offensive capabilities and leadership."
— Matthew Savill , Academic
"Tehran had between 1,500 to 3,000 ballistic missiles with various ranges and levels of readiness."
— Jonathan Hackett , Academic
Key People
Ali Khamenei was the Supreme Leader of Iran until his death.
Dan Caine is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Former president of the United States known for his aggressive economic policies.
Gen Dan Caine is a top commander in the US military.
Distinguished scholar of global security at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
Author of a book on Iran’s covert warfare strategy.
Kelsey Davenport is an expert at the Arms Control Association.
Mark Cancian is a former US Marine colonel and expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
A researcher at the Royal United Services Institute.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security in Washington.
Senior research fellow at the Missile Defence Advisory Alliance based in Israel.
Locations
Tags
All Coverage
Weapons stocks will not alone decide the outcome of this conflict, but it's certainly a significant factor, writes the BBC's Jonathan Beale.
Al Jazeera discusses concerns over the depletion of U.S. weapons stockpiles amid ongoing military operations against Iran, highlighting potential shortages in precision munitions and interceptors like THAAD systems.
Analysts suggest that the outcome of the Middle East conflict may hinge on which side exhausts its missile or interceptor stockpiles first, emphasizing the strategic importance of weapon inventories.
The article examines how Israel's military actions have revealed Iran's limited missile capabilities, potentially influencing the conflict's dynamics.
The article discusses Iran's constrained military responses to U.S.-Israeli strikes, highlighting the challenges Tehran faces in countering advanced weaponry.
Experts warn that U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities might inadvertently accelerate Tehran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, given the country's substantial stockpile of enriched uranium.
Similar Stories
Related coverage based on topic and tags
War weighs on Iran's economy as US intensifies sanctions - Reuters
War weighs on Iran's economy as US intensifies sanctions Reuters
August 29, 2026 at 02:04 AMAfter six months, the Iran war has reached its endgame - a costly stalemate - Reuters
After six months, the Iran war has reached its endgame - a costly stalemate Reuters
August 27, 2026 at 10:54 AMSix consequences of six months of war in Iran - Reuters
Six consequences of six months of war in Iran Reuters
August 27, 2026 at 05:06 AMSix months into Iran war, almost half of global oil flows from war zones - Reuters
Six months into Iran war, almost half of global oil flows from war zones Reuters
August 25, 2026 at 05:05 AMOil set for second weekly rise as unsettled US-Iran war crimps supply - Reuters
Oil set for second weekly rise as unsettled US-Iran war crimps supply Reuters
August 21, 2026 at 01:50 AMSix months of war: How the Middle East conflict has shaped financial markets - Reuters
Six months of war: How the Middle East conflict has shaped financial markets Reuters
August 27, 2026 at 06:06 AM