Singapore, May 30 (SANA) U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that Washington possesses sufficient weapons and ammunition stockpiles and is fully capable of resuming military operations against Iran if required.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth said the United States maintains an adequate balance between high-tech and mass-produced munitions, allowing it to preserve operational readiness both domestically and globally.
Hegseth also called on U.S. allies in Asia to increase defense spending, warning that China‘s expanding military capabilities pose growing challenges to the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific region.
He said Washington expects allies and partners to raise defense spending to around 3.5% of gross domestic product, while the United States plans to invest approximately $1.5 trillion in strengthening its own military capabilities.
While noting that relations between Washington and Beijing are better than they have been in years and that military communication channels have expanded, Hegseth stressed that stronger and more self-reliant allies remain a key element of deterrence policy.
“We need partners, not protectorates,” he said, adding that allies must play a greater role in sharing the burdens and risks of collective defense.
The comments are in line with President Donald Trump’s policy of encouraging allies in both Asia and NATO to assume a larger share of defense costs and reduce reliance on the U.S. security umbrella.
KA.MZ
