The United States has spent an estimated $25 billion on its military campaign in Iran, a senior Pentagon official disclosed on Wednesday, providing the first official cost assessment of the conflict.
According to Reuters, Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of comptroller, told the House Armed Services Committee that the bulk of the expenditure was allocated to munitions.
Hurst did not provide a detailed breakdown of the estimate or clarify whether it includes the projected cost of repairing military infrastructure in the Middle East damaged during the conflict.
Reacting, Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the committee, welcomed the disclosure, noting that lawmakers had long sought clarity on the war’s cost.
However, questions remain over how the Pentagon arrived at the figure, as earlier estimates from the administration of Donald Trump suggested that the first six days of the conflict alone cost at least $11.3 billion.
Defending the spending, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that the cost was justified in light of Washington’s objective to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The conflict, which began on February 28 with US strikes on Iran, has since entered a fragile ceasefire, although the Pentagon has maintained a significant military presence in the region, including multiple aircraft carriers.
The war has also had broader economic implications, contributing to rising global energy prices and inflationary pressures. Disruptions to oil and gas shipments have driven up fuel and fertiliser costs, with gasoline prices in the United States reaching their highest level in nearly four years.
Recent polling indicates declining public support for the conflict, as only 34 per cent of Americans approve of the war, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey.
Global oil markets have also reacted sharply, with Brent crude rising above $126 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate exceeding $110, as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz heighten concerns over supply disruptions.
Analysts say the sustained rise in energy prices reflects growing expectations that the crisis could persist longer than initially anticipated.
US Iran War Costs Hit $25bn, Pentagon Tells Lawmakers
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appears before a House Committee on Armed Services business meeting on the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey Jr.)
