NEW YORK (VINnews) — U.S. President Donald Trump once again changed course at the last moment, according to an analysis citing Israeli and American defense sources, who argue that reports suggesting the United States held back military action because of a shortage of interceptor missiles are unfounded.

Defense officials in both Israel and the United States reportedly dismissed the explanation, saying the claim was met with skepticism throughout the defense establishment and military industries.

“Saying Uncle Sam is short on interceptors is like saying he’s short on aerial refueling aircraft,” one military source said.

Several officials from the Israeli and American defense industries said production of munitions—including interceptor missiles—has been operating at full capacity since before February 28, with continuous manufacturing to replenish stockpiles.

“I saw the reports about the number of interceptors used during the war and in recent days,” an American defense industry source said. “Those numbers are not of the magnitude that would create shortages in U.S. stockpiles.”

Israeli defense officials also stressed that the primary method of defending against ballistic missile attacks is offensive action against enemy launchers, particularly given Israel’s air superiority over Iran.

According to sources within Israel’s defense establishment, the prevailing assessment is that Trump decided against carrying out the planned strikes for tactical reasons unrelated to interceptor inventories or weapons shortages.

The same officials believe that the United States will ultimately have little choice but to engage in a direct military confrontation with Iran.

“It could happen tomorrow morning, or it could happen in several weeks,” one security source said. “The Iranians are not where the Americans want them to be. We hear their declarations about accelerating the nuclear program in order to obtain a nuclear bomb quickly. We hear Iran demanding control of the Strait of Hormuz and seeking to impose a tax on every oil tanker that passes through. The Americans understand they cannot live with Iran’s ambitions.”

According to an initial report in The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. military was prepared last Friday to launch an intensive new wave of strikes against Iran. However, the operation was postponed following urgent discussions over the potential impact that a large-scale campaign would have on U.S. stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles and other air defense systems.

The report says Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed the White House on what he described as a concerning decline in interceptor inventories. While he reportedly did not believe the situation prevented the resumption of military operations, he warned that it would significantly increase the risks faced by U.S. forces.

Meanwhile, Axios reported that another factor behind the decision to pause the planned strikes was the assessment that the latest round of attacks had largely achieved its objective by significantly degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.

Not all senior military officials reportedly shared the same concerns. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), is said to believe that the military can operate effectively despite the reduced stockpile, arguing that a large-scale offensive would cripple Iran’s missile-launch capabilities before it could mount a major retaliation.

Defense analysts, however, have warned that the heavy use of interceptor missiles during the conflict with Iran could weaken U.S. deterrence against other strategic rivals, particularly China.

A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that the United States has fired at least 1,500 Patriot interceptors since the beginning of the conflict, leaving an available inventory of fewer than 1,000 interceptors.

The White House has declined to release official figures on U.S. interceptor stockpiles, arguing that doing so would compromise national security.