The United States and Israel launched more than 3,000 precision-guided munitions and interceptors during the first 36 hours of military operations against Iran, according to estimates by analysts at the Payne Institute, underscoring the intensity of the early exchanges and potential strain on Western weapons supplies.
Iran retaliated with a barrage of more than 1,000 weapons across the region, including about 380 ballistic missiles, roughly 700 Shahed drones and around 50 air-defence missiles, the analysis said.
U.S. forces fired a range of weapons during the initial strikes, including about 210 JDAM precision-guided bombs, 120 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 120 low-cost drones and 90 AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles targeting Iranian radar systems.
Israeli forces used roughly 280 Spice-guided bombs, 140 smart bomb kits, 70 Rampage supersonic missiles and about 50 Delilah cruise or loitering missiles, the estimates showed.
Air defence systems across the region were heavily engaged to intercept Iranian projectiles. U.S. forces launched around 180 SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6 naval interceptors, about 90 Patriot missiles and 40 THAAD interceptors, while Israel deployed Iron Dome, Arrow and David’s Sling systems.
Regional partners also fired hundreds of interceptors, analysts said.
Experts warned that the scale of the exchange highlights growing pressure on Western defence supply chains, with replenishing advanced munitions potentially constrained by limited supplies of critical minerals used in missile guidance and electronics.
