Media: The Iran War Highlights the United States' Strategic Dependence on Critical Minerals
The Iran War reveals deep vulnerabilities in the United States' critical resource areas, especially its heavy reliance on imported rare earths.
The report points out that rare earths are widely used in the military field for the production of radars, missile guidance systems, engines, and high-performance magnets. Without these materials, a large number of advanced weapons would be unable to be produced or updated.
The United States is almost entirely dependent on imports for key heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium, with no short-term alternative sources.
Currently, the United States can still rely on stockpiles to maintain military operations for several months, but as the conflict continues, supply issues will quickly become apparent. Modern warfare consumes huge resources, and once there is a lack of rare earths, it could delay weapon production, increase costs, and weaken the U.S. ability to sustain military operations in the long term.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1860332555831424/
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