$25 billion or $50 billion? How much is the US spending on the Iran war?

How much is the US spending on the Iran war?

According to the Pentagon, Washington may already have spent around $25 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore) on the conflict. This is according to Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst.

The development comes as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to outline a timeline for the end of the Iran war. Hegseth has also refused to confirm the price tag for the war. The Pentagon has asked for a budget of $1.5 trillion (Rs 142.86 lakh crore) for next year.

But what do we know? Is the US lowballing this figure?

Let’s take a closer look.

Pentagon puts out price tag

It was Hurst who offered the $25 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore) figure. Hurst made the remarks while testifying before the House Armed Services Committee. He said that most of that money spent was for munitions. According to NPR, this is the first time that a Pentagon official has publicly put a price tag on the Iran war.

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According to ResponsibleStatecraft.org, Hurst, answering questions from Representative Adam Smith of Washington, said most of the expense was in “munitions” plus “[operations and maintenance] and equipment replacement.”

Hurst said the Pentagon and the White House would give Congress a supplemental request after they make “a full assessment of the cost of conflict.”

NBC News quoted Hurst as saying that the figure “just reflects the costs of the war.”

USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier arrives at Souda Bay on the island of Crete, Greece, on February 23, 2026. The $25 billion price tag is equivalent to the price of a new naval Ford-class aircraft carrier. Reuters File

"So we’ve already spent the dollars on munitions and things like that, so we’re factoring in costs of munitions expended in that total." The total, Hurst said, "reflects the munitions that have been spent to date and other operational costs."

“I’m glad you answered that question because we’ve been asking for a hell of a long time and no one has given us the number,” Smith said.

Is the US lowballing the figure?

It is extremely likely.

ResponsibleStatecraft.org quoted the Center for American Progress as saying that the war, over one month ago, had already cost $25 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore). An April 8 study from the American Enterprise Institute estimated that the conflict had already cost somewhere between $25 billion and $35 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore to Rs 3.33 lakh crore). The $25 billion cost is equal to the entire budget of NASA for this year.

According to Politico, the non-partisan Center for Strategic and International Security put the cost of the first 100 hours of air and naval strikes alone at $3.7 billion (Rs 0.35 lakh crore). The Washington Post in March said that the Pentagon estimated the first two days of the war cost $5.6 billion (Rs 0.53 lakh crore) in munitions alone. A source told Reuters last month that President Donald Trump’s administration estimated that the first six days of the war had cost the United States at least $11.3 billion (Rs 1.08 lakh crore).

Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth insisted that the cost is worth it if the US stops Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Reuters

Those in the know told CNN these figures do not include the billions that will be spent on fixing military bases and repairing damaged equipment.

A source told the outlet the cost could be between $40 billion and $50 billion (Rs 3.81 lakh crore to Rs 4.76 lakh crore). It could encompass repairs to US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the UAE, and Qatar, as well as compensation.

Hurst in March told the Democrats the Iran war had cost around $11 billion (Rs 1.05 lakh crore). According to the outlet, that number is equivalent to the price of a new naval Ford-class aircraft carrier.

Hurst at the time said that the figure was a ‘ballpark number’. “We’re looking to make sure we make the right investments and capabilities,” Hurst said. “So it’s not just replacing things, but buying new things too.”

Democratic Senator Chris Coons was among those who remained sceptical about the figures offered by the Pentagon and the White House.

“I don’t know whether that also includes all the operational costs of the ships, planes, fuel, staff time,” he was quoted as saying by the outlet. “If they were to come back to us and say, ‘This is how much we have spent on this operation,’ it would have to include months of preparation and deployment, as well as munition stockpile restoration, magazine refilling, as well as operating costs.”

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna added, “You’re saying $25 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore). If you come back and want to revise those numbers, because all the experts are disagreeing with you when it comes to today’s dollars in damage.”

Politico reported that lawmakers have estimated that the White House could request as much as $50 billion (Rs 4.76 lakh crore) in supplemental funding for the Iran conflict.

What is Hegseth saying?

Hegseth, at his first hearing before Congress since the war began, insisted that the cost is worth it if the US stops Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. “What would you pay to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear bomb? What would you pay?” Hegseth asked.

Hegseth sought to defend the Iran war more broadly in fiery remarks, saying it was not a quagmire and attacking Democratic lawmakers as “feckless” for criticising the unpopular conflict.

“You call it a quagmire, handing propaganda to our enemies? Shame on you for that statement,” Hegseth said in response to Garamendi, and slammed “reckless, feckless, and defeatist” Congressional Democrats.

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.

At least 13 US troops have been killed in the conflict and hundreds wounded.

A damaged US Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft following an Iranian strike on the airbase. Image/Social Media via Reuters

Few issues resonate with US voters more deeply than price increases, and the latest inflationary upswing is unsettling Republican insiders worried about their party’s prospects before November elections that will determine control of the House and possibly the Senate.

Disruptions in shipments of oil and natural gas since the war started have caused a run-up in US gasoline prices and agricultural products such as fertilisers, on top of the long list of other high consumer prices.

The average US gasoline price on Tuesday rose to its highest level in nearly four years, according to data from the American Automobile Association.

Trump’s popularity has taken a beating since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran.

Just 34 per cent of Americans approve of the US conflict with Iran, down from 36 per cent in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

With inputs from agencies

FAQs

1. How much has the US spent on the Iran war so far?

The Pentagon estimates around $25 billion (Rs 2.38 lakh crore). However, experts think the real cost could be significantly higher.

2. Why do experts think the US is underestimating the cost?

Because official figures often exclude expenses such as equipment repairs, troop deployment, fuel, and base maintenance.

3. What could the total cost of the Iran war reach?

Some estimates suggest the total cost could be as much as $40–50 billion (Rs 3.81 lakh crore to Rs 4.76 lakh crore) or even more.

With inputs from agencies