Kurdistan Center
for Democracy in the Middle East
Khoyboun Flag
About us
www.kcdme.com
Washington hits pause on $14bn Taiwan arms deal to divert weapons to West Asia
Iran reportedly destroyed about 20 percent of the US Reaper drone stockpile, causing billions in losses
22.05.2026
News Desk
Source:https://thecradle.co/articles/washington-hits-pause-on-14bn-taiwan-arms-deal-to-divert-weapons-to-west-asia
Washington will halt a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan to redirect the munitions toward its war effort against Iran, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told US lawmakers during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee session on 21 May.
“Right now, we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury," Cao said.
“We're just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump remains non-committal on the package, which Congress approved in January but still requires presidential sign-off.
The proposed deal would set a record as the biggest-ever arms sale to Taiwan, surpassing the previous $11 billion package approved in December.
Beijing had condemned the December arms package, calling it a violation of China's sovereignty and a red line in China–US relations.
Trump reportedly hinted that he intends to use their planned arms sale to Taiwan as a bargaining chip against China following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Cradle
@TheCradleMedia
Iran shot down 20 percent of all US Reaper drones during US-Israeli war, Bloomberg reports
——
Bloomberg reported on 21 May that Iran has destroyed at least 24 US MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the US–Israeli war, causing losses nearing $1 billion and wiping out roughly 20
The US-Israeli war on Iran has severely depleted US military supplies and munitions.
A recent report by Bloomberg revealed that the US had lost at least 24 US MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the war, causing losses nearing $1 billion and wiping out roughly 20 percent of the Pentagon’s inventory of the aircraft.
The report said many of the drones were shot down by Iranian defenses, while others were destroyed in missile strikes or lost in accidents, with each drone costing around $30 million. The US incurred massive financial losses in the war on Iran, with initial escalations exceeding $5.6 billion in munition costs and single rescue operations costing over $500 million in equipment.
While the Pentagon acknowledges roughly $25 billion for ammunition, wider reports suggest a much higher total, potentially ranging from $40 billion to $1 trillion due to depleted stock and infrastructure damage.
Iran reportedly destroyed about 20 percent of the US Reaper drone stockpile, causing billions in losses
22.05.2026
News Desk
Source:https://thecradle.co/articles/washington-
Washington will halt a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan to redirect the munitions toward its war effort against Iran, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told US lawmakers during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee session on 21 May.
“Right now, we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury," Cao said.
“We're just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”
The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump remains non-
The proposed deal would set a record as the biggest-
Beijing had condemned the December arms package, calling it a violation of China's sovereignty and a red line in China–US relations.
Trump reportedly hinted that he intends to use their planned arms sale to Taiwan as a bargaining chip against China following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Cradle
@TheCradleMedia
Iran shot down 20 percent of all US Reaper drones during US-
Bloomberg reported on 21 May that Iran has destroyed at least 24 US MQ-
The US-
A recent report by Bloomberg revealed that the US had lost at least 24 US MQ-
The report said many of the drones were shot down by Iranian defenses, while others were destroyed in missile strikes or lost in accidents, with each drone costing around $30 million. The US incurred massive financial losses in the war on Iran, with initial escalations exceeding $5.6 billion in munition costs and single rescue operations costing over $500 million in equipment.
While the Pentagon acknowledges roughly $25 billion for ammunition, wider reports suggest a much higher total, potentially ranging from $40 billion to $1 trillion due to depleted stock and infrastructure damage.