The ongoing conflict between United States, Israel, and Iran has raised concerns about the rapid use of weapons. Military analysts say both sides are consuming missiles, drones, and other munitions faster than they can produce them.
US President Donald Trump said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of important weapons. Meanwhile, Iran’s defence ministry claims the country can continue resisting longer than Washington expects.
However, experts believe that weapons supplies could still influence how long the war continues.
High Number of Air Strikes
According to the Institute for National Security Studies, based in Tel Aviv, the US and Israel have already carried out more than 2,000 strikes since the conflict began. Each strike uses multiple weapons and missiles.
Iran has also launched large numbers of weapons in response. Reports say Iranian forces fired 571 missiles and 1,391 drones. Many of them were intercepted before reaching their targets.
Military experts warn that this intense pace of fighting will become difficult to sustain if the war continues for a long time.
Decline in Iran’s Missile Attacks
Western officials say Iran’s missile launches have already dropped significantly.
Early in the conflict, Iran fired hundreds of missiles in a single day. Now, the number has fallen to dozens.
Before the war began, analysts believed Iran had more than 2,000 short-range ballistic missiles. Military forces rarely reveal exact numbers because they keep stockpiles secret.
Dan Caine, a top American commander, said Iranian missile launches have dropped by 86% since the first day of fighting. The United States Central Command also reported a 23% decline in attacks during the last 24 hours.
Drone Launches Also Decreasing
Iran has produced thousands of Shahed drone attack drones. The country exported the technology to Russia, which has used similar drones in the war in Ukraine.
But recent data shows a major drop in drone launches. General Caine said Iranian drone attacks have fallen by 73% since the conflict started.
Experts say Iran may be saving its remaining stockpiles. However, maintaining production could become harder as the conflict continues.
Air Superiority Changes the Battlefield
The US and Israeli air forces now dominate the skies over Iran. Reports suggest many Iranian air defence systems have already been destroyed.
Iran also lacks a strong air force to challenge these aircraft.
According to United States Central Command, the next phase of the war will target missile launchers, drone sites, weapons depots, and production factories.
Destroying these facilities could weaken Iran’s ability to continue the fight.
Hidden Weapons and Limits of Air Power
Even with air superiority, destroying all of Iran’s weapons will be difficult. Iran’s large territory allows military forces to hide equipment and stockpiles.
Military history also shows the limits of air campaigns.
For example, Hamas remains active in Gaza Strip despite years of Israeli bombing. Similarly, Houthi movement fighters in Yemen survived a year-long US air campaign.
These examples show that air strikes alone rarely eliminate an enemy completely.
