Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Apr 24: US military commanders have expressed concern over the Pentagon’s decision to transfer long-range precision weapons from the Asia-Pacific region to the Middle East, according to a report by The New York Times.

Citing congressional officials, the report stated that since the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in late February, the United States has deployed around 1,100 long-range stealth cruise missiles originally designated for potential operations against China.

The report further noted that more than 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missile missiles have been used, along with over 1,200 Patriot missile system interceptors and more than 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles. This extensive usage has significantly reduced existing stockpiles, based on internal estimates from the Defense Department and inputs from congressional officials.

It added that the Pentagon has begun reallocating weapons from both Asia and Europe to support operations in the Middle East, raising concerns about military readiness in other strategic regions.

Officials have also flagged worries over the heavy reliance on expensive missile systems and questioned whether the defence industry can ramp up production quickly enough to replenish depleted inventories.

While the Pentagon has not released comprehensive figures on munitions usage, White House officials have rejected the claims made in the report.

Defence and congressional officials have warned that rebuilding stockpiles could take several years at current production levels, potentially impacting the United States’ preparedness for future conflicts.