US Patriot Missile Shortage in Europe 'Beyond Critical' Due to Iran War

A severe shortage of US Patriot missile interceptors in Europe has been described as 'beyond critical' by a US defence official and a Nato official, both speaking anonymously. The shortage is largely attributed to the ongoing war between the United States and Iran, which began six months ago under President Donald Trump. The lack of interceptors raises concerns about Nato's ability to defend against potential Russian ballistic missile attacks. The US official stated that in the event of a Russian assault on a military headquarters or power plant, Nato could be forced 'to take punch after punch in the mouth', similar to the situation faced by Ukraine. The official also noted that the American military in Europe 'definitely' lacks sufficient Patriots to counter a sustained ballistic missile attack and would have 'very limited' capability against a single strike or a stray missile. The conflict with Iran has cascading effects on European defence capabilities.