Pentagon figures: Iran conflict spending tops $47 billion
Operational costs have climbed 25% since July, with an additional $35 billion earmarked for munitions and equipment replacement.
By Alina Carter ·
US military spending on the Iran war has surpassed $47 billion, according to internal Pentagon data.
This figure marks a sharp increase from the $37.5 billion estimate provided by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July. The new total exceeds the earlier projection by more than 25 percent.
The $47 billion amount covers operational expenses such as flight operations and cyber support. It does not include the full cost of replacing lost assets. The Pentagon projects that more than $29 billion is required to replace expended munitions. An additional $6 billion is needed to replace military equipment and platform losses, which includes aircraft and drones lost during combat.
President Donald Trump launched the conflict alongside Israel in February. He initially predicted the war would be short. His strategy involved using high-end precision missiles to degrade Iranian defenses before switching to cheaper gravity bombs like JDAMs. An April ceasefire allowed Iran to repair underground storage facilities and reactivate some missiles and drones that had previously been inaccessible.
Trump has since imposed a naval blockade to cut off Iranian oil export revenue. He has suggested that combat operations could resume after the November 3 midterm election. US officials speaking on condition of anonymity stated that the Pentagon is preparing to restart heavy fighting if ordered to do so.
The rising costs have created political pressure for Republicans ahead of the midterms. The war’s effect on global energy prices has weighed on support for Republican candidates and lowered Trump’s approval ratings. The party holds a narrow majority in both chambers of Congress. The current estimates also do not clearly account for the cost of repairing damage to US bases from Iranian missile and drone attacks.
