U.S. officials told lawmakers during a closed congressional briefing that Iran’s Shahed drones have become a serious challenge for air defense systems. In their assessment, existing air defenses “will not be able to intercept them all.”
Lawmakers also warned that the conflict could turn into a kind of “math problem” if interceptor stocks continue to decline. Senator Mark Kelly noted that “we do not have an unlimited supply,” while military officials acknowledged that the drones are “posing a bigger problem than anticipated.”