Israel Defense Industry Chief Predicts Another Iran War Despite Staggering US Costs
An Israeli defense industry leader warned Wednesday that another war with Iran is inevitable, raising the prospect of renewed fighting after a conflict that has already cost American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
Francis Kapper·Nov 12, 2026·7 min read
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An Israeli defense industry leader warned Wednesday that another war with Iran is inevitable, raising the prospect of renewed fighting after a conflict that has already cost American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
Israel is preparing for another confrontation with Tehran and must strengthen its military partnership with Washington, state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Chairman Boaz Levy said in an interview with Israel Hayom. The warning follows months of American military operations that have severely depleted critical missile inventories, according to a Nov. 10 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
“We learned a great deal, but the Iranians learned a great deal too,” Levy said during the Israel Hayom Summit in New York on Wednesday, according to Israel Hayom.
“There will be another war, without a doubt,” Levy continued, arguing that the question is no longer “if” another confrontation will occur, but “when.”
The Iran war cost the U.S. approximately $47.1 billion through Oct. 16, according to a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) estimate provided to lawmakers and reviewed by the Associated Press on Oct. 28.
Approximately $29 billion of that total represents the cost of replacing expended munitions, while another $11.9 billion covers military operations and roughly $6.1 billion accounts for lost equipment,
The figures do not include the full cost of repairing American military installations damaged by Iranian strikes, according to the AP.
Iranian attacks damaged at least 119 buildings across 13 American military installations during the war’s opening weeks, with total base damage potentially reaching $15 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 30, citing military estimates and its analysis of satellite imagery.
The human cost has also continued mounting.
At least 23 American service members have died during military operations associated with the Iran war, while another 866 have been wounded in action, according to the Department of War’s Defense Casualty Analysis System figures.
Eleven of those deaths resulted from hostile action, while 12 were classified as nonhostile, according to the department’s casualty database.
In Iran, at least 3,636 people were killed during the initial American-Israeli bombing campaign, including 1,701 civilians and 1,221 military personnel, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The organization’s figures cover the initial campaign through early April and do not represent a comprehensive death toll for subsequent fighting.
Israeli attacks have also killed at least 4,390 people in Lebanon and wounded another 12,429 since March 2, according to a November 5 statement from the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Another 26 people were reported killed in Israel during the broader regional conflict as of September 14, according to the World Health Organization.
American military forces have also expended enormous quantities of advanced missile interceptors during the conflict.
American forces expended an estimated 1,060 to 1,430 Patriot interceptors and between 190 and 290 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors during the initial 39-day campaign, according to an April assessment from CSIS.
Those inventories have been depleted further by subsequent fighting, with approximately two-thirds of America’s prewar Patriot interceptors and roughly half its THAAD stockpile now estimated to have been expended, according to the Nov. 10 CSIS report.
Some of the most advanced American missiles could take between two and four years to replenish after Congress approves the necessary funding, per CSIS.
The United States maintains sufficient munitions to conduct renewed operations against Iran, but its depleted inventories present serious concerns for a potential confrontation with China, according to CSIS.
American missile expenditures have also significantly exceeded those of Israel during portions of the conflict.
The U.S. military fired more interceptors protecting Israel than Israeli forces expended defending their own territory during Operation Epic Fury, The Washington Post reported in May, citing War Department assessments and American officials familiar with the operations.
American forces launched more than 200 THAAD interceptors and more than 100 ship-based SM-3 and SM-6 interceptors. Israeli forces, by comparison, fired fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and approximately 90 David’s Sling interceptors, according to Post.
American forces engaged roughly twice as many Iranian missiles as their Israeli counterparts and expended approximately 120 additional interceptors, the outlet reported, citing an anonymous U.S. government official.
“We do not discuss munitions for operational security reasons,” a Department of War official previously told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It would be inappropriate for us to speculate on hypothetical future situations.”
The scale of missile consumption has raised concerns about America’s ability to sustain another prolonged conflict while maintaining sufficient inventories for potential confrontations elsewhere.
American weapons manufacturers are attempting to increase production, with Lockheed Martin targeting an eventual annual output of 2,000 Patriot interceptors, compared with roughly 600 currently, according to CSIS.
The military’s growing reliance on expensive interceptors was demonstrated during a September Iranian attack against American forces in Jordan, when U.S. troops reportedly fired between 60 and 70 Patriot missiles and more than a dozen THAAD interceptors against approximately 20 Iranian ballistic missiles, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing American and regional officials.
The warning follows a prolonged military confrontation that began February 28, when American and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iran. Tehran subsequently retaliated against Israel, American military installations and other regional targets, according to the AP.
Although the initial bombing campaign ended with an April 8 ceasefire, subsequent exchanges of fire have continued to strain American military resources, according to CSIS.
Despite the massive expenditures, Israel’s defense industry chief argued that missile interception technology had demonstrated its effectiveness against Iranian attacks.
Israel’s Arrow missile defense system achieved a 92% interception success rate against Iranian ballistic missiles, Levy claimed during his Israel Hayom interview. The figure was presented as the company’s assessment and was not independently verified.
Israeli defense planners had previously anticipated Iranian salvos involving approximately 10 to 20 missiles, rather than hundreds launched within hours, Levy said according to Israel Hayom
Israel must continue manufacturing interceptors while developing technologies capable of destroying incoming ballistic missiles at greater altitudes, Levy said during the interview. He also advocated expanding American-Israeli military cooperation beyond traditional security assistance, describing the countries’ relationship as a technological partnership.
The Arrow program was initially developed through equal American and Israeli participation, and similar cooperation could contribute to President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, Levy said, according to Israel Hayom
Future military operations will increasingly depend on artificial intelligence and space-based technology capable of transmitting battlefield intelligence directly to troops, Levy said, according to Defence Industry Europe.
An Israeli satellite recently provided direct guidance to a fighter pilot during a military mission, demonstrating the increasing integration of space systems into conventional warfare, Levy claimed during his Israel Hayom interview.
IAI is also preparing for a potential partial public offering as early as 2027, with approximately 70% of its business already directed toward foreign customers, the Israeli defense manufacturer said.
Levy’s assessment does not constitute an official Israeli government announcement of renewed hostilities, and he provided no specific timeline for another confrontation, according to Defence Industry Europe.
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