Pentagon: Iran Campaign Costs $25 Billion So Far

Pentagon officials testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the U.S. military campaign against Iran, launched in late February alongside Israel, has cost approximately $25 billion to date. The figure, presented by acting Comptroller Jules Hurst, primarily covers munitions expenditures and some operational costs but excludes repairs to damaged U.S. bases and replacement of destroyed equipment across the Middle East.

Sources familiar with the assessments indicated the total could reach $40 billion to $50 billion or higher once base repairs and lost assets are included. Iranian strikes in the conflict's early days damaged at least nine U.S. military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar within 48 hours. Among the losses were radar systems for a THAAD missile battery in Jordan, similar installations at two UAE sites, and a U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft at a Saudi air base. Additional U.S. aircraft destroyed included MQ-9 Reaper drones, F-15E fighters, KC-135 tankers, an A-10 attack plane, and two MC-130J cargo planes.

The $25 billion estimate drew sharp questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Representative...