How Long Can Israel Hold the Line?

Dmitri Bolt | June 18, 2025 12:45 PM

United States officials have said that Israel is running low on defensive Arrow interceptors, generating concern about prolonged conflict with Iran, according to the Wall Street Journal.

While Israel’s Iron Dome system is designed to shoot down short-range ballistic missiles, Arrow interceptors are tasked with taking out long-range threats, including hypersonic missiles. The top concern for both U.S. and Israeli officials is stopping hypersonic missiles, as they travel at five times the speed of sound, can carry large payloads including nuclear warheads, and are far harder to intercept, even with the Arrow system. With supplies of Arrow interceptors running low, the pressure is mounting on President Trump and the Israelis to act fast and bring the conflict with Iran to an end.

U.S. officials have been aware of Israel’s dwindling supply for months, and the Pentagon began resupplying Israel when the conflict escalated in the past week. However, the decision to provide these munitions has raised concerns about the depletion of America’s own interceptor stockpile.

The concern about quickly depleting munitions comes as President Trump has spent the last 2 days figuring out what his next move will be in the conflict between Iran and Israel. Israel has requested American munitions to destroy a heavily fortified nuclear facility, Fordow, built into a mountainside in Iran, but the U.S. is hesitant to get more involved. The President, as of yesterday, called for the unconditional surrender of Iran, and even went as far as to inadvertently threaten the Supreme Leader of Iran, announcing on Truth Social that the U.S. is aware of his location. It is unclear whether Iran will come crawling back to the negotiating table or will face continued destruction head-on.