Crucial US missile stockpiles 'extremely low', official says

But analysts say the U.S. can escalate to full-scale war with Iran if it wanted. The U.S. war in Iran has depleted stocks of key air defense weapons, including ballistic missile interceptors -- a potential constraint for President Donald Trump as he weighs the prospect of renewing the conflict. A Center for Strategic and International Study analysis of air defense systems found that Patriot stockpiles have been depleted by two-thirds and the THAAD missile inventory, which it estimated was 452 before the start of the war, has been reduced by half. A U.S. official, who would not discuss numerical estimates, told ABC News that both stockpiles "are extremely low." Additionally, the official said that of particular concern was the low inventories of long-range offensive missiles like the ATACM and PRSM. The was has been fought mostly from safe distances or through air attacks.

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