The escalating confrontation between the United States and Iran revealed a sensitive weakness within American military capabilities, after an official warned that stocks of long-range munitions and air defense systems had declined to a level that might limit the Pentagon’s ability to continue operations safely, coinciding with the two sides approaching the brink of all-out war and the collapse of the memorandum of understanding signed last month.
According to a report by journalist Eli Leon, in the Israeli newspaper “Maariv”, the confrontation between Washington and Tehran over the weekend reached a boiling point, with the continued exchange of strikes and the targeting of military and civilian facilities, while warnings emerged of the limited ability of the United States to wage a long confrontation or engage in a ground operation inside Iran.
The report quoted an official US administration official, who spoke to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity, that the Pentagon’s offensive and defensive capabilities have become limited due to the sharp decline in the stock of long-range munitions and air defense systems.
The official said: “We do not have enough ammunition to continue operational activity in a safe manner, and I do not think the White House realizes this.”
He added that the US Army is facing difficulty in strengthening its forces deployed in the region as a result of the damage caused by the battles, amid fears that continued escalation will lead to additional depletion of equipment and ammunition.
Military experts reinforced these fears, stressing that the American forces, in addition to the erosion in their stocks and equipment, are not prepared to fight a ground campaign inside Iranian territory, a scenario that US President Donald Trump recently refused to rule out.
Seth Jones, head of security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said introducing ground forces into Iran would be a mistake.
In parallel with the warnings, the US Central Command launched a wide wave of strikes against command headquarters, missile launch sites, radar systems, and coastal sites inside Iran.
Trump commented on the operations, saying that the United States “hit them again with great force.”
On the other hand, Iran said that the attacks also targeted a nuclear reactor under construction in the southwest of the country, and announced that it would no longer abide by the understandings it reached with Washington last month.
The repercussions of the fighting extended to the American interior, as average fuel prices in the United States rose to about $4 per gallon.
In the same context, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei announced, during a briefing to reporters on Monday, that the Islamic Republic will not implement the memorandum of understanding it signed with the United States last month, accusing Washington of violating its terms.
Baghaei said: “The other party not only failed to implement the agreement, but also violated it and acted in complete contradiction to its letter and spirit.”
He added, repeating positions made by officials in Tehran over the weekend: “We, for our part, announced that we will not implement it. “It’s quite clear.”
He explained that the agreement, which was aimed at protecting Iran’s interests, was based on mutual commitments with Washington, but the United States’ violation of these commitments made its implementation by Tehran “practically impossible.”
Baghaei concluded his position on the document by saying: “Regardless of the wording that some choose to use, it is quite clear the situation this document is in now.”
CNN reported these statements in a report by journalists Mustafa Salem and Aida Karimi.
In response to journalists’ questions about Iran’s position if Washington requests the resumption of negotiations, and in light of Iranian Leader Mojtaba Khamenei describing Trump’s signature as “worthless and unreliable,” Baghaei hinted that the door to the talks has not been closed permanently.
He explained that war, like negotiations, constitutes a means to protect Iran’s interests and achieve its goals.
He also revealed that mediators had conveyed additional offers to Tehran, despite the continuation of hostilities and the tension between the two parties reaching record levels, but he declined to reveal the details or content of these proposals.
Between the decline in US stockpiles and the collapse of understandings with Tehran, Washington appears to be facing a more complex equation: a continuing military escalation, capabilities that need to be preserved, and a negotiating path that has not been completely closed despite the collapse of the existing agreement.
