U.S. is using more of its resources to defend Israel than Israel is itself
Recorded: May 26, 2026, 8 p.m.
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Indigenous Peoples Israel Donald Trump Israel More About Donate Manage Your Donation Support Our Work Subscribe Submission Guidelines Financial Information Privacy Policy Memorial Essay Prize Truthout Center for Grassroots Journalism Job Openings Contact Us © 2026 Truthout News | US Military Using More Missiles to Defend Israel Than Israel Itself This raises questions about the US relationship with Israel as well as the US’s use of weapons throughout the war. By Shireen Akram-Boshar , Truthout Published May 22, 2026 Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on March 11, 2026. The Israeli military said on March 10, it had begun a new wave of strikes on Tehran, on the 11th day of the Middle East war. Jack Guez / AFP via Getty Images Truthout is an indispensable resource for activists, movement leaders and workers everywhere. Please make this work possible with a quick donation. The U.S. is using more of its resources to defend Israel than Israel is itself, according to U.S. officials who spoke to The Washington Post on Thursday. Related Story Interview | Trump’s War on Iran Is a Symptom of Unchecked US Military Power Virtually everyone killed by the US during the “war on terror” has been a person of color, writer Norman Solomon says. By George Yancy , Truthout May 16, 2026 Truthout Nonetheless, Trump insisted that he had the final word, saying of Netanyahu on Wednesday, “He’ll do whatever I want him to do.” An important fundraising appeal: 48 Hours to raise $24,000 Share Share via Facebook
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Article HTML Republish HTML code for copying <p><strong>By Shireen Akram-Boshar</strong></p> <p><em>This article was originally published by </em> <a href src="https://truthout.org/articles/us-military-using-more-missiles-to-defend-israel-than-israel-itself/">Truthout</a></p> <p><strong><p>This raises questions about the US relationship with Israel as well as the US’s use of weapons throughout the war.</p></strong></p> <p>The U.S. is using more of its resources to defend Israel than Israel is itself, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/21/us-bears-brunt-israels-missile-defense-pentagon-assessments-show/">according to U.S. officials </a>who spoke to <em>The Washington Post </em>on Thursday. </p> <p>The officials disclosed that the U.S. military has depleted much of its missile-defense inventory after using far more of the weaponry to defend Israel throughout the war on Iran than Israel has used itself. </p> <p>The U.S. has launched more than 200 THAAD missiles, approximately half of the Pentagon’s total stock, as well as over 100 Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors fired from naval vessels in the Mediterranean. Israel, on the other hand, fired fewer than 100 of its Arrow interceptors and around 90 David’s Sling interceptors — often firing these second-rate missiles when countering rockets fired by Hezbollah or the Houthis, and preserving its higher-end interceptors. </p> <p>This raises questions both about the U.S.’s relationship with Israel as well as the U.S.’s use of weapons throughout the war on Iran. </p> <p>Israel, the U.S.’s closest ally in the region since the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew Iran’s U.S.-backed Shah, reportedly pressured Trump to begin the war on Iran. Netanyahu’s administration has consistently pushed for a more aggressive approach, demanding that the war resume and even suggesting the need for ground troops to invade Iran. On Tuesday, Trump and Netanyahu spoke in a “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/20/politics/trump-netanyahu-tense-phone-call">tense conversation</a>” that highlighted their divergent views on the way forward, after Trump canceled his latest planned strikes on Iran. </p> <p>Nonetheless, Trump insisted that he had the final word, saying of Netanyahu on Wednesday, “He’ll do whatever I want him to do.” </p> <p>But the U.S.’s depletion of its own missiles in defense of Israel show both its prioritization of Israel as well as its reckless use of weaponry throughout the war. </p> <p>Earlier in May, <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/05/12/US-ammunition-shortage-iran-war/">concerns were raised</a> about the U.S.’s use of weapons stockpiles throughout the war on Iran. Department of Defense reports showed that the military had depleted much of its stocks of Tomahawks, Patriots, and other munitions that could take years to replenish. </p> <p>Pete Hegseth <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-military-weapons-shortage-9.7199419https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-military-weapons-shortage-9.7199419">denied these reports</a>, saying on May 12, “We have all the munitions needed to execute what we need to execute.”</p> <p>“The munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated,” he said.</p> <p>At the start of the war, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5764368-trump-us-military-unlimited-munitions-iran-attacks/">Trump said</a> that the U.S. has “virtually unlimited” munitions that would allow it to fight wars “forever.” He claimed that stockpiles of medium and upper-grade munitions have “never been higher or better.” </p> <p>But the Trump administration has consistently repeated falsehoods throughout the course of its war, both about its own performance and Iran’s weaknesses.</p> <p>Hegseth and Trump have both downplayed the deaths of U.S. troops at military bases struck by Iran in the region as well as the extent of the damage to these bases. And they have claimed to have “<a href="https://truthout.org/articles/irans-missile-arsenal-still-intact-sources-say-contradicting-trumps-claims/">decimated</a>” Iran’s military and missile stockpiles, while reports have found that its missile stockpile is still largely intact. </p> <hr> <p><em>This <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/us-military-using-more-missiles-to-defend-israel-than-israel-itself/">article</a> was originally published by <a href="https://truthout.org">Truthout</a> and is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" rel="license">Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)</a>. Please maintain all links and credits in accordance with our <a href="https://truthout.org/republishing-policy">republishing guidelines</a>.</em></p> Copy this HTML code to republish the article on your website Close Copy HTML
This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license. Shireen Akram-Boshar Shireen Akram-Boshar is a socialist writer, editor and Middle East/North Africa solidarity activist. Truthout Share Share via Facebook
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U.S. officials have indicated that the United States has utilized more of its resources in defending Israel than Israel has used for its own defense during the war on Iran, prompting questions regarding the relationship between the two nations and the scope of U.S. military actions. Specifically, U.S. military assets have depleted their missile-defense inventory after deploying far more weaponry to safeguard Israel than Israel expended itself. The text details the specific differences in interceptor deployment: the United States launched over 200 THAAD missiles, representing approximately half of the Pentagon’s total stock, alongside over 100 Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors fired from naval vessels in the Mediterranean. In contrast, Israel utilized fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and around 90 David’s Sling interceptors, often employing these secondary missile systems to counter rockets from Hezbollah or the Houthis while reserving its higher-end interceptors. This imbalance in missile usage introduces complexities concerning the U.S. relationship with Israel and the overall application of weaponry throughout the conflict. Furthermore, the article addresses broader concerns regarding the U.S. administration’s claims about munitions stockpiles. Earlier in May, reports suggested that the Department of Defense had depleted stocks of munitions like Tomahawks and Patriots, which required years to replenish. While officials like Pete Hegseth denied these reports, asserting that the military possessed sufficient munitions and dismissing concerns as overstated, the narrative continues to contrast this denial with the context provided by the original reporting. The text notes that the Trump administration frequently advanced claims regarding the "virtually unlimited" nature of U.S. munitions and the superiority of its stockpiles, yet reports indicate that the actual missile stockpile for Iran remains largely intact, contradicting claims that the Iranian military’s reserves have been decimated. Moreover, the divergent political stances between leaders like Trump and Netanyahu, highlighted by a tense conversation over the war's direction, underscore the shifting realities of the conflict. |