India, March 7 -- A bitter dispute has broken out inside Washington over the state of the United States' weapons stockpiles, as its war against Iran raises questions over whether American forces are burning through irreplaceable military assets faster than they can replace them; and whether President Donald Trump had any business starting the fight in the first place.

The argument has been sharpened by the destruction of a key, $300-million radar system at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, confirmed by a US official this week to news agency Bloomberg.

Live: Updates on US-Iran conflict

The AN/TPY-2 radar, manufactured by RTX Corporation and essential to directing America's THAAD missile defence batteries, was obliterated in the opening...