 "Is Israel running short on Arrow interceptor missiles amid conflict with Iran?")
The Israel-Iran conflict is now in its sixth day.
The capitals for both countries, Tel Aviv and Tehran, witnessed massive explosions after being targeted.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) even said they targeted Israel with the Fattah-1 hypersonic missile at Israel – a dangerous escalation of the ongoing conflict.
This came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, responding to US President Donald Trump, vowed that his country would never surrender.
But what is happening? And is Israel running short on missiles amid the conflict?
Let’s take a closer look
What is happening in Iran?
Day six of the conflict saw both countries continuing to exchange airstrikes.
Iran has said that over 585 people have been killed and more than 1,300 injured since Israeli airstrikes began on Friday.
Read Israel Iran conflict live updates here.
The streets of Tehran were empty and business shuttered as Israeli strikes continued unabated.
With no underground bomb shelters available, people are said to be sleeping in metro stations.
While thousands of people have fled the capital, many more remain – mostly the elderly and the infirm.
Iran claimed that Israel had conducted an air strike near a Red Crescent facility.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader made a defiant appearance on state tv on Wednesday, warning the US of ‘irreparable damage’ In case they intervened on Israel’s side.
Khamenei dismissed Trump’s “threatening and absurd statements.”
“Wise individuals who know Iran, its people, and its history never speak to this nation with the language of threats, because the Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” he said in the low-resolution video, his voice echoing. “Americans should know that any military involvement by the US will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”
Iran on Wednesday evening experienced ‘a near and complete internet blackout’.
A number of countries on Wednesday evacuated their citizens from Iran.
Tehran has accused Tel Aviv of launching a widespread cyber war against its digital infrastructure.
What is happening in Israel?
On Wednesday, Tel Aviv witnessed heavy bombardment as Iran continued to launch missiles at Israel.
Israel has claimed that Iran has launched over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones.
Israel has claimed that 24 people are dead and over 800 injured.
Around 3,800 people have been evacuated from their homes across Israel.
Israel, meanwhile, has moved to ease domestic restrictions in what Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday called a “message of victory”.
Is Israel running short of missiles?
However, questions are already being raised about whether Israel’s missile defence system will be able to bear up under Iran’s missile barrage.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel is already running low on Arrow missile interceptors, which play a key part in its air missile defence system.
Israel can, at most, keep up its missile defence system for another 10 to 12 days if Iran continues to keep up its barrage, an intelligence assessment in the Washington Post stated.
After that, Israel may have to depend on the United States to intervene militarily – which risks the US depleting its own supplies of Arrow missile interceptors.
“Neither the US nor the Israelis can continue to sit and intercept missiles all day,” Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Jerusalem Post. “The Israelis and their friends need to move with all deliberate haste to do whatever needs to be done, because we cannot afford to sit and play catch.”
Iran is said to have a stockpile of around 2,000 ballistic missiles – many of them hidden in underground facilities.
“The system is already overwhelmed. Soon, they may have to choose which missiles to intercept," the source told the newspaper.
Israel is said to be spending around $285 million on its air defence system every single day.
The IDF in a statement said, “The IDF is prepared and ready to handle any scenario. Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on matters related to munitions.”
What is America doing?
US President Donald Trump, responding to Khamenei’s statement on Wednesday, said “good luck”.
Trump said he told Netanyahu to ‘keep going’ and added that the Israeli Prime Minister has been unfairly treated in his country.
Trump was referring to Netanyahu’s many legal issues within Israel.
Trump said he had run out of patience with a run and that he had given the country “the ultimate ultimatum” – though he declined to say what that was.
However, he said that it is never too late to negotiate.
Trump also noted that some within the Republican Party were unhappy with the US possibly going to war with Iran.
“I may have some people that are a little bit unhappy now, but I have some people that are very happy. Then I have people outside of the base that can’t believe that this is happening, they’re so happy,” Trump said.
He reiterated that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’m not looking long term, short term. And I’ve been saying that for 20 years.”
Meanwhile, the US announced the closure of its embassy in Israel from Wednesday to Friday.
With inputs from agencies
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