The United States’ war in Iran has cost 25 billion dollars so far, a senior Pentagon official said, providing the first official estimate of the military’s price tag for the conflict.
Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the comptroller, told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of that money was for munitions.
Hurst did not detail what that cost estimate included and whether it took into account the projected costs of rebuilding and repairing base infrastructure in the Middle East damaged in the conflict.
Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, responded to Hurst: “I’m glad you answered that question. Because we’ve been asking for a hell of a long time, and no one’s given us the number.”
Earlier, in March President Donald Trump’s administration estimated that the first six days of the war had cost the United States at least 11.3 billion dollars.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the cost was justified given the U.S. goal of ensuring Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.
“What would you pay to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear bomb? What would you pay?” Hegseth asked.
The United States started carrying out strikes against Iran on February 28, and the two sides are currently maintaining a fragile ceasefire.
The Pentagon has poured tens of thousands of additional forces into the Middle East, including keeping three aircraft carriers in the region.