The United States is transferring a large number of its long-range JASSM-ER cruise missiles to the Middle East as a follow-up to its recent military operations against Iran. According to a source cited by NDTV, the missiles are being moved from reserves originally allocated to other regions, including the Pacific. Orders to withdraw the missiles, each valued at about 1.5 million dollars, were issued in late March. The weapons are being relocated to US Central Command bases and the Fairford base in the United Kingdom.

After the redeployment, only about 425 of the pre-war stockpile of 2,300 JASSM-ER missiles will remain available for other regions, with around 75 rendered unusable due to damage or technical faults. The report adds that nearly two-thirds of the US missile reserves, including shorter-range JASSM models with a range of about 250 miles, have been committed to the Iran conflict. Since the joint US-Israel air campaign began on February 28, concerns have grown over missile defense and long-range weapon stockpiles.

The source noted that over a thousand JASSM-ER missiles have already been used within four weeks of fighting, and 47 were deployed in an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The pace of use suggests that replenishing the arsenal could take several years.