US preparing to use bulk of stealth long‑range missiles in war on Iran

Each $1.5 million JASSM-ER is a long-range missile capable of striking heavily defended targets

The United States is preparing to deploy a significant portion of its global stockpile of advanced stealth cruise missiles in the next phase of its military offensive against Iran, according to a Bloomberg report.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, the report said an order was issued in late March to redirect Joint Air‑to‑Surface Standoff Missiles‑Extended Range (JASSM‑ER) from US Pacific Command stockpiles to the Middle East.

The move underscores the scale and intensity of the ongoing air campaign, with additional missiles from within the continental United States and other overseas facilities also being rerouted to US Central Command (CENTCOM) bases and RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom.

Each JASSM‑ER missile, valued at approximately $1.5 million, is a long‑range precision weapon designed to strike heavily defended targets while allowing launch aircraft to remain outside hostile air defence zones.

With a range exceeding 600 miles, the missile is considered a key asset in modern US strike operations due to its stealth capabilities and ability to bypass advanced air defence systems.

Read More: Israel preparing for attacks on Iranian energy sites, awaits US green light, official says

The large-scale diversion of these munitions highlights growing demands on US military stockpiles as the conflict evolves, raising concerns about the sustainability of prolonged high-intensity operations and potential implications for other strategic regions.

According to the Financial Times, the US has already used hundreds of these missiles during the early phase of a preemptive attack on Iran. The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (SCIS) said that the US fired some 786 JASSM missiles on Iran in the first six days of the conflict.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran that time was running out on his latest deadline for a deal to end the war. He also warned that Iran has only 48 hours to make a deal.

On Saturday, he ⁠repeated his threats to intensify attacks on Iran if it failed to reach a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz strategic waterway.

"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. ​Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD!" he said in a post on Truth Social.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116346816254869135

In an apparent move to heap further pressure on Tehran following Trump's ultimatum, a senior Israeli ​defence official said Israel was preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities and was awaiting the green light from the US.

The timeframe for such attacks would be within the next week, the official said. Trump has previously threatened to hit Iranian power plants if his demands were not met.

The war has killed thousands, sparked an energy crisis and threatened lasting damage to the world economy. Iran has virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.