The United States says the cost of its ongoing war with Iran has risen to nearly $29 billion, as questions mount in Congress over military spending, readiness, and long-term strategy.
The Pentagon disclosed the updated figure on Tuesday during a budget hearing on Capitol Hill, saying the estimate had increased by about $4 billion in two weeks due to rising repair, replacement, and operational costs.
Defense Department finance chief Jules Hurst III told lawmakers that the previous estimate of $25 billion had been revised after continuous assessments by joint staff and comptroller teams.
“We think it’s closer to $29 billion,” Hurst said, noting that the figure reflects updated equipment losses and broader operational expenses linked to the conflict.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, also appearing before lawmakers, said additional funding requests tied to the war would be submitted separately from the Pentagon’s main budget, but did not provide a timeline.
The hearing comes amid growing scrutiny of the administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran and its impact on US military readiness, particularly stockpiles of key weapons systems.
Democratic lawmakers pressed officials on the lack of transparency around the war’s objectives and its financial burden.
The conflict has also raised concerns over depleted US munitions stockpiles after months of air and missile operations in the Middle East.
However, Hegseth dismissed warnings of shortages, saying the concerns had been “foolishly overstated” and insisting that the military had sufficient supplies.
“We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need,” he said.
But Senator Mark Kelly warned that inventories of systems such as Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors had been significantly reduced and could take years to rebuild, potentially affecting US readiness in future global conflicts.
The latest testimony marks the first congressional appearance by Hegseth since the White House notified lawmakers that hostilities involving the US and Israel against Iran had formally ended in February, though tensions remain high.
Lawmakers from both parties have continued to question whether the military action was properly authorised and what strategic gains have been achieved.
