This is why Washington cannot afford a long-term war against Iran.

A new report from The Telegraph has sparked a wider debate about the US military's capabilities and the potential dangers of a war with Iran.

According to a Pentagon official spoken to by the newspaper, the US's missile stockpile has been depleted to a level that casts doubt on the country's ability to conduct a full-scale war. 

This comes at a time when regional tensions continue to rise and the US is making increasingly forceful military statements against Tehran.