Gulf states facing an Iranian drone blitz may only have enough anti-drone defence missiles to last four days.
In a tactic that has surprised the US and its allies, Iran has responded to attempts to force regime change by raining down missiles and drones on its neighbours.
By spreading strikes across more than five countries at once and sustaining over 2,500 drones per day, Tehran is forcing its adversaries to divide their defences.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘At the current rates the supplies could run out within four days.
‘The interceptors are being used at an unprecedented speed.’
The vast majority of Iranian projectiles have been blocked, but only a few need to breach the defences of Gulf nations to change the perception of the conflict.
That was brought home last night as footage of a thunderous explosion outside the US consulate in Dubai was shared online.
While nobody was wounded, US sources say, such attacks spread fear and could cause the tourist industry in Gulf nations to collapse.
Shahed drones favoured by Iran can be produced more cheaply than the state-of-the-art defensive systems purchased by the UAE, Bahrain and other states from US manufacturers.
A single Iranian drone can cost as little as £26,000 to produce, researchers say, while intercepting it can cost anywhere up to £3million.
Fabian Hoffman, missile expert at the University of Oslo, told the Wall Street Journal that oil-rich Gulf states will ‘feel the pain of the interceptor shortage’.
Since the campaign began, the UAE said it had been targeted by around 200 Iranian ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles and 689 drones.
It intercepted all of them, but 44 drones struck the country. Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar have also suffered heavy barrages.
