Israel 'running low on Arrow missile interceptors'

Report of shortage comes after five days of attacks between Iran and Israel

A home in Tamra, nothern Israel, that was destroyed in an Iranian missile attack. Bloomberg

Israel is running low on Arrow missile interceptors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed US official, after five days of retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran.

The report raises concerns about Israel’s ability to counter long-range ballistic missiles from Iran in the aerial war that began with surprise Israeli air strikes on Friday.

There has been no Israeli confirmation of the report, and no indication from Israel of any shortage of interceptors. Most Iranian missiles fired at Israel in recent days have been intercepted, at similar rates to Iran’s attacks in 2024, according to the military.

Washington is aware of the issue and has taken steps to support Israel's missile defence by deploying additional American assets by land, sea, and air, the WSJ report said.

The Arrow defence system was developed jointly by the US and Israel and is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere.

Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel since Friday, when the Israeli military began bombing Tehran's nuclear facilities and military sites and killed top Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists. Although most were intercepted, missile strikes on areas of central Israel have killed 24 people.

The Israeli military said it had planned its operation months in advance, and claims to have accurate intelligence on Iran’s ballistic missile stockpiles. It said on Tuesday that it had destroyed about 40 per cent of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers.

All eyes are now on Washington where President Donald Trump has hinted at greater US involvement in the Israeli campaign, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire, after initially distancing himself from Israel's attacks. It has been reported that the US has sent more warplanes to the region.

The US has ground-based Patriot missile defence systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defence (THAAD) systems in the Middle East capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. US Navy destroyers are also capable of shooting down projectiles.