An Iranian ballistic missile that landed on a field near the town of Najha, in the Damascus countryside, Syria (Yonhap) The prolonged US-Iran conflict is expected to boost demand for South Korean air defense systems as countries replenish interceptor missile stockpiles depleted by sustained missile attacks, DS Investment & Securities said Monday.The brokerage said the trend could benefit Korean defense companies behind the M-SAM II and L-SAM surface-to-air missile systems, naming LIG Defense & Aerospace and Hanwha Aerospace as its top picks."As interceptor stockpiles are depleted, demand for alternative air defense systems is likely to grow, creating favorable conditions for discussions on adopting the M-SAM II and L-SAM," it said.The brokerage attributed the latest escalation to the collapse of a memorandum of understanding signed just three weeks earlier, citing disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, Washington's suspension of permission for Iranian oil sales and delays in releasing frozen Iranian assets.It estimated the conflict has already generated more than $100 billion in direct and indirect costs. With US public support for the war weakening ahead of November's midterm elections and Iran's economy strained by sanctions and frozen assets, neither side appears capable of securing a decisive victory, it said.Instead, the brokerage expects missile exchanges and airstrikes to continue, sustaining demand for interceptor missiles and air defense systems.