US Fires Up to 70 Patriot Missiles Against Iranian Attack on Jordan: WSJ
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: The US military reportedly fired between 60 and 70 Patriot interceptors and more than a dozen THAAD missiles to counter a single Iranian ballistic missile attack involving about 20 incoming missiles in Jordan, highlighting growing pressure on Washington’s high-end air-defence inventories.
The figures were reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing US and regional officials familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the number of interceptors used against the Iranian salvo was roughly equivalent to the quantity US forces had expended during an entire week at other stages of the conflict.
Iran reportedly used increasingly sophisticated missile techniques, including warheads that separated into multiple projectiles as they approached their targets, complicating efforts by US air-defence systems to intercept them.
US Aircraft Damaged Despite Missile Defences
The defensive barrage did not stop every incoming threat.
Iranian missiles damaged multiple US military aircraft at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, although no American personnel were reported killed in the attack. Reuters independently confirmed last week that several US military aircraft at the Jordanian base sustained damage from Iranian strikes.
The Wall Street Journal said Iranian forces have increasingly employed different missile types, trajectories, manoeuvres and warheads in attempts to penetrate US defensive systems.
The incident illustrates a key challenge facing missile-defence forces: the number of defensive interceptors fired can substantially exceed the number of incoming ballistic missiles.
However, the reported figures should remain attributed to the Journal and its sources because US Central Command declined to comment publicly on the specific numbers.
Pentagon Rejects Claims US Is Running Out of Missiles
The Pentagon has pushed back against suggestions that US interceptor inventories are depleted.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said reports claiming that American munitions were depleted were false and maintained that US forces remained capable of responding to threats.
President Donald Trump has similarly said the United States maintains large stocks of interceptors and is increasing production.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper also said in a recent interview that he was not concerned about interceptor shortages and that US forces remained prepared for contingencies.
Those assurances come alongside evidence from the US Defense Department’s inspector general pointing to pressure on inventories.
A Pentagon watchdog report said munitions expenditure during the Iran conflict had resulted in strategic inventory shortfalls and exposed industrial-base bottlenecks in replenishing weapons.
1,700 Patriot Interceptors Used by Mid-July
The scale of expenditure extends far beyond the latest attack in Jordan.
By mid-July, the US military had used approximately 1,700 Patriot interceptors and more than 200 THAAD interceptors during the conflict, according to officials cited by the Journal.
US Navy vessels had additionally fired about 150 Standard Missile interceptors against Iranian missiles and drones.
These are substantial numbers because advanced missile interceptors are expensive and cannot necessarily be replaced as quickly as they are expended during sustained combat.
The Pentagon inspector general separately estimated that US forces had expended approximately $22.3 billion worth of munitions during the first months of the conflict.
The broader cost of the war has been estimated at around $38 billion, while replenishing depleted missile inventories could take years.
Patriot Production Set to Increase
Production capacity has consequently become an increasingly important part of the US defence debate.
The Journal reported that Patriot manufacturer Lockheed Martin produced 620 Patriot interceptors in 2025 and is seeking to raise annual production to approximately 2,000 missiles.
Increasing production, however, involves more than simply expanding assembly lines. The Pentagon watchdog has identified industrial bottlenecks affecting the ability to replenish critical munitions.
The scale of missile consumption has also raised concerns among some US officials about Washington’s ability to maintain sufficient inventories for potential crises elsewhere, particularly in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
Gulf states are also seeking additional air-defence munitions following months of Iranian missile and drone attacks, further increasing global demand for sophisticated interceptor systems.
Why the Jordan Attack Matters
The reported Jordan engagement is significant not simply because of the number of Iranian missiles launched, but because of the ratio between incoming threats and defensive interceptors expended.
Approximately 20 Iranian ballistic missiles prompted the reported launch of as many as 70 Patriots plus more than a dozen THAAD interceptors.
At the same time, the attack demonstrated that even a large defensive response does not guarantee that every incoming missile will be intercepted, with US aircraft sustaining damage at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.
The episode therefore adds to an ongoing debate inside the United States over missile-defence production, stockpile resilience and how quickly advanced interceptors can be replaced during a prolonged high-intensity conflict.
