The United States grappled with missile shortages that disrupted military aid to Ukraine and Gulf allies as the war with Iran entered its fifth day. Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, intercepted hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, rapidly consuming U.S.-supplied Patriot PAC-3 and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors.

At least one Gulf ally ran low on crucial interceptors just four days into the conflict, prompting urgent requests to the U.S. for resupplies, according to regional sources. The U.S. and Israel aimed to destroy Iran's missile stockpiles and launchers before their own defenses were exhausted, but Iran's production of over 100 ballistic missiles per month outpaced U.S. output of six or seven interceptors monthly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted this disparity, warning of the production imbalance.

The conflict diverted munitions from Ukraine, where Patriot missiles form the primary shield against Russian ballistic strikes. Analysts warned that prolonged fighting could force Ukraine into tough choices on protecting energy infrastructure or military bases, as Lockheed Martin's annual output of roughly 600 PAC-3 missiles already fell short for U.S., Gulf, and Ukrainian needs. A senior U.S. defense official noted production limits, stating, "We can only crank out so much at a time." Ukraine recently faced a three-week shortage of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for its F-16 jets in late 2025, underscoring supply vulnerabilities.

Prior aid to Ukraine depleted stocks, with the U.S. firing up to 20-50% of THAAD and SM-3 interceptors in 2025 operations. President Trump blamed the Biden administration for sending too many high-end weapons to Ukraine, claiming current medium-grade stockpiles remained strong, but top-tier supplies needed bolstering. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted Patriot reserves were "extremely strong," while Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine praised interceptor performance despite the costs.

Production ramps offered limited near-term relief. A January deal with Lockheed Martin aimed to quadruple THAAD output to 400 annually over seven years.

Gulf frustration mounted over delayed U.S. notifications of strikes and defense aid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered defensive expertise to Gulf states against Iranian Shahed drones. The Pentagon accelerated manufacturing under emergency orders, but trade-offs across theaters, from Ukraine to potential Pacific contingencies, loomed large.