WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has reported that the cost of U.S. military operations tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran has continued to rise, underscoring mounting budget pressures as lawmakers weigh additional defense funding and broader economic implications of the campaign.
Defense Department officials have told Congress that the estimated cost of the conflict has climbed to about $29 billion, up from an earlier public estimate of roughly $25 billion, reflecting higher operational expenses as well as updated repair and replacement costs for equipment and munitions. Officials cautioned that the figure remains incomplete and does not yet include the eventual cost of repairing damaged military facilities or other longer-term infrastructure requirements.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III told lawmakers during congressional budget hearings that the revised estimate reflects "updated repair and replacement of equipment costs" alongside the continuing expense of sustaining U.S. forces deployed in the region. He said the Defense Department is continuing to refine its assessment and that additional costs could emerge as military operations continue.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior military leaders have faced questions from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers about the financial impact of the conflict, the pace of weapons consumption and replenishment, and the administration's plans for supplemental appropriations. Pentagon officials have said a significant share of expenditures has gone toward munitions, while operations, maintenance and equipment replacement have also contributed substantially to the overall cost.
The budget pressures come as military tensions with Iran have intensified. The latest escalation has included renewed exchanges of missile and drone attacks, heightened concerns over security in the Strait of Hormuz and increased risks to regional energy supplies. Those developments have contributed to higher global oil prices, adding to concerns about inflation and broader economic effects beyond defense spending.
Pentagon officials have emphasized that current estimates remain subject to revision because the full scope of equipment losses, base repairs and future force requirements has not yet been determined. They have also noted that decisions regarding the long-term U.S. military posture in the region will influence the final cost of the conflict.
Congress has continued to scrutinize the administration's defense funding requests as budget negotiations proceed, while Defense Department officials say they will provide updated cost assessments as additional information becomes available.
