The US Senate approves a special increase in the defense budget to compensate for ammunition following depletion in the Red Sea

The US Senate Appropriations Committee approved the 2026 defense spending bill by a majority of 26 to 3, with a ceiling of nearly 852 billion, including a special increase of 7.3 billion for ammunition accounts: 5.2 billion for purchasing additional batches through services, and 5.2 billion for purchasing additional batches through services, 2.1 billion to expand industrial capacity, including defensive missile production lines. This increase has been directly linked to lessons learned from the attrition battle in the Red Sea and the complexities of countering attacks from Yemeni armed forces.
Exclusive Follow-ups – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:
Senator Mitch McConnell, chairman of the defense subcommittee, stated, “Recent operations in the Middle East demonstrate how quickly modern warfare depletes our arsenal of vital munitions.” Meanwhile, Senator Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, emphasized that “recent experiences—such as the campaign against Yemeni forces in the Red Sea—show how quickly we consume advanced munitions.” These arguments coincided with a joint article by McConnell and Coons on the necessity to expand munitions production and go beyond temporary funding.
During 2024–2025, the U.S. Navy faced one of the most intense naval engagements in decades, imposing a significant consumption of intercept missiles.
Leaders in the Navy and Congress have warned of pressures on the munitions supply chain and the need to expand the industrial base.
Operationally, President Donald Trump announced a halt to bombing on May 6 following Omani mediation, while the Yemeni armed forces continued to demonstrate the ability to keep costs high for Washington, despite American technological superiority.
U.S. reports acknowledged that the aircraft carrier “Harry S. Truman” lost three F/A-18 aircraft during its deployment, including an incident where a fighter jet fell into the sea during a maneuver to avoid hostile fire—facts that undermined the narrative of the “low cost” of air operations.