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[Anchor] U.S. officials say roughly half of the Pentagon’s THAAD interceptors were expended in the Iran conflict, a development that could unsettle allies such as South Korea and Japan. As concerns about U.S. stockpiles mount, Washington has temporarily suspended arms sales to Taiwan. This is Choi Jin-gyeong. [Reporter] U.S. forces reportedly fired more than 200 THAAD interceptors during operations tied to the Iran conflict, The Washington Post reported, citing security officials. That number is about half of the THAAD interceptors the Pentagon keeps in reserve, according to the report. Analysts warn the depletion could raise concerns among U.S. security partners that rely heavily on American air and missile defenses, notably South Korea and Japan. Earlier, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses told a Senate hearing that moving some THAAD systems from South Korea to the Middle East had been planned in advance. 「Pete Hegses / U.S. Secretary of Defense (on the 12th)」 I can say clearly that we considered all contingencies beforehand. Every element of this operation received careful review by the Joint Chiefs and civilian leadership and proceeded in pursuit of very specific objectives. With worries about U.S. stockpiles growing, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Kao said Washington has temporarily halted arms sales to Taiwan to secure materiel needed for the Iran conflict. The statement marks a different tone from former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that arms sales to Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip with Beijing. Kao sought to downplay concerns, saying officials are simply verifying inventory levels and that sales could resume if supplies allow. Taiwan says it has received no official notice on the matter, while Beijing reiterated its opposition to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. This report is from Yonhap News TV’s Choi Jin-gyeong. [Video editing: Choi Yoon-jung] [Graphics: Yong Su-ji] [News Review] #U.S. #Israel #Iran #SouthKorea #THAAD Yonhap News TV inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/Line jebo23 Choi Jin-gyeong (highjean@yna.co.kr)
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