NEW YORK, June 18. /TASS/. Israel is running low on Arrow interceptors that are used to counter Iranian ballistic missiles, and it can exhaust the stockpiles if the conflict isn’t resolved soon, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing a Pentagon official.
The joint Israeli-US-made system has been key in intercepting ballistic missiles, and Israel’s capabilities to neutralize Iranian strikes will sharply decline if their stocks come to an end. There is a growing concern that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is burning through its defensive weapons, given the intensity of Iranian strikes, the newspaper wrote.
According to the WSJ, the United States has been augmenting the Jewish state’s anti-missile and air defenses for months. However, in the event of prolonged hostilities, the country will inevitably face a shortage of Arrow stockpiles as it cannot afford to sit and intercept ballistic missiles for an extended period of time. Therefore, the IDF needs to move with urgency. The IDF spokesperson told the WSJ that even as the Israeli military is prepared for any scenario, it is unable to comment on matters related to munitions.
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, aimed at Iran’s nuclear program. Less than 24 hours later, Iran carried out a retaliatory strike. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged attacks again. Both sides reported casualties and damage, and acknowledged several facilities had been hit, though they said the damage was limited.