Ongoing U.S. military strikes against Iran are not achieving strategic objectives and are instead dangerously depleting American missile stockpiles, creating a significant defense vulnerability, according to a highly placed White House source cited in a Daily Mail report.
The source suggested that officials believe current policies are ineffective and are weakening the United States' ability to defend itself in a potential conflict with near-peer competitors such as Russia or China. This perspective emerged amid reports of a 11-day series of U.S. strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, with no clear end or achievable strategic goal.
According to the report, the strikes have focused on bridges, tunnels, and civilian infrastructure, but the regime in Tehran has been able to rebuild and continue operations. The source indicated that the U.S. military cannot effectively penetrate deep underground complexes housing ballistic missiles and long-range drones, which are seen as critical to Iran's strategic capabilities.
This assessment contrasts with official statements. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated that the National Security team provides the President with timely and accurate information and that there is no concern about the United States' military capabilities. Similarly, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell asserted that America's military is the most powerful in the world and possesses everything it needs.
However, the source highlighted concerns about the reduction in U.S. missile stockpiles, reportedly shared by Vice President JD Vance regarding Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's assessment of the war's conduct. If the U.S. were to re-engage in a sustained campaign against Iran, it would further deplete critical stockpiles of offensive missiles like JASSM and Tomahawks, as well as defensive interceptors such as THAAD and PAC-3.
The article emphasizes that these specialized munitions take years to manufacture and replace. Each use of expensive interceptors against low-cost drones or cruise missiles against easily repaired infrastructure diminishes global deterrence. The defense industrial base is reportedly unable to produce new weapons at scale quickly, potentially leaving U.S. forces vulnerable in a conflict with a better-supplied adversary.
The warning suggests that continuing the current campaign in Iran is draining precious reserves, leaving forces in regions like the Indo-Pacific and Europe exposed. The source posits that Washington must abandon political posturing and confront the military realities, stating that sacrificing U.S. global strategic deterrence for an unwinnable mission in Iran represents an unprecedented risk to national security.