WASHINGTON: The US military has fired over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in four weeks of war with Iran, burning through the precision weapons at a rate that has alarmed some Pentagon officials and prompted internal discussions about how to make more available, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
“The US military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and weapons stockpiles to achieve the goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out by President Trump — and beyond,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Reuters.
“Nevertheless, President Trump has always been intensely focused on (strengthening) our Armed Forces and he will continue to call on defence contractors to more speedily build American-made weapons, which are the best in the world,” Leavitt’s statement said.
Asked for comment, the Pentagon, which Trump has ordered renamed Department of War, said the military had all it required.
“The Department of War has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the President’s choosing and on any timeline,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to Reuters.
Meanwhile, more than 1,900 people have been killed and at least 20,000 injured in Iran since the start of US and Israeli attacks, said Maria Martinez of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Friday, citing figures provided by the Iranian Red Crescent.
Martinez said the Iranian Red Crescent continues to serve as the only nationwide humanitarian organisation operating across the country amidst the escalating conflict.
The United States is weighing sending up to 10,000 extra troops to the Middle East, US media reported on Friday, as speculation grows that Washington may be preparing a ground operation in Iran.
The deployment would mark a significant boost to Washington´s military presence in the region, despite US President Donald Trump insisting that Tehran was taking part in peace talks with Washington to end the war.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the move would aim to provide Trump with “more military options” in the Middle East, engulfed by war since US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
The troops would join thousands of paratroopers and Marines who have already been ordered to the region.
“It is unclear where precisely forces will go in the Middle East, but they will likely be within striking distance of Iran and Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub off Iran´s coast,” the Journal said.
