The Pentagon has raised its official estimate for the cost of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran to $37.5 billion, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended a broader request for nearly $70 billion in supplemental war funding during a Senate hearing.
Pentagon Raises Official Iran War Cost To $37.5 Billion On Tuesday, appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegseth said the war has cost an estimated $37.5 billion so far, marking an $8.5 billion increase from the Trump administration's previous estimate of $29 billion released in May, Al Jazeera reported.
"The estimate we have as of today is $37.5 billion," Hegseth told lawmakers, adding that the figure includes certain operations and maintenance costs through the end of September, though he did not provide a detailed breakdown.
The updated estimate comes as the Pentagon seeks nearly $70 billion in supplemental funding tied to the Iran conflict as part of President Donald Trump's proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget.
Calling the funding request essential, Hegseth told senators, "Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls," describing the supplemental package as an "urgent, necessary" investment in national defense, noted Fortune.
