Arab states running dangerously low on interceptors to take down Iranian-fired missiles, officials say [View all]
Source: CBS News
Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 12:54 PM EST
Arab states in the Persian Gulf are running dangerously low on interceptors to take down Iranian-fired missiles, two regional officials told CBS News. Governments in the region have asked the U.S. to expedite new supplies, and they've been told that officials in Washington are creating a task force to do so � but it isn't happening as fast as needed.
The hundreds of drones launched by Iran are an added complication. The officials speculated that Iran is intentionally hitting the Arab states to get them to pressure the U.S. to end the war.
On Wednesday, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pushed back on supply concerns and told reporters at the Pentagon that there were sufficient "precision munitions for the task at hand, both on the offense and defense."
Three regional officials also acknowledged that communication is challenging as, despite being more than a year into his term, President Trump has not sent ambassadors to many of the countries, including Lebanon, Jordan and Qatar. Due to the lack of nominations or slow-moving confirmations, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait are among the locations without a presidential representative in country and are relying on charge d'affaires.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arab-states-running-low-interceptors-iranian-fired-missiles/
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