The U.S. Used Up 15-20 Percent of its Global THAAD Anti-Missile Arsenal In Just 11 Days

In just 11 days of fighting in Israel between June 13 and June 24, 2025, the U.S. Army has depleted an estimated 15–25% of its global inventory of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. Israeli air defense against Iranian missile strikes was bolstered by the deployment of THAAD systems, which are intended to intercept medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. This quick outlay demonstrates the high price and restrictions of employing such sophisticated systems in combat.

The $12–15 million THAAD interceptors were used to intercept Iranian missiles fired during the comparatively low-intensity conflict. Although 39 interceptors were launched in the video, this is thought to have only made up 50–66% of all launches, meaning that 60–80 interceptors were used overall. Between $810 million and $1.215 billion is the approximate amount spent.

Israel had multiple defense layers, including the THAAD system, the Arrow and Barak 8 systems, and AEGIS destroyers. In order to prevent escalation and maintain Iran’s ability to retaliate should the United States intervene more directly in the conflict, this multi-layered defense assisted in controlling the comparatively low intensity of Iranian missile fire. The THAAD system’s ability to sustain its defensive capability would have quickly declined if the Iranian missile strikes had been more severe or prolonged, exposing serious flaws in the system’s feasibility.

Given that the United States is up against more powerful and sophisticated missile arsenals from adversaries like North Korea, China, Russia, and Belarus, the rapid depletion of THAAD in this conflict raises questions about its viability in future higher-intensity conflicts. The rate of depletion in Israel raises the possibility that THAAD’s capacity to provide adequate defense could be jeopardized in a full-scale conflict, particularly when countries with larger missile arsenals are involved. Furthermore, the affordability of deploying THAAD systems in major conflicts is becoming a more crucial factor due to the high cost of operations and limited stockpiles.

Future plans and choices about missile defense systems are probably going to be influenced by the lessons learned from THAAD’s use in Israel’s defense, as the system is still in use throughout the world, including in areas like the Pacific and Europe.