US Iran War Cost Hits $11.3 Billion in Six Days

The US war against Iran cost more than $11.3 billion in its first six days, Pentagon officials told senators in a closed-door briefing this week, the most detailed cost assessment Congress has received since Operation Epic Fury launched on February 28.

The figure was relayed during a classified briefing with the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense. The Pentagon declined to comment publicly, with a spokesperson saying the department would not know the full cost of Operation Epic Fury "until the mission is complete."

Senator Chris Coons told reporters he believes the actual amount is even higher.

"I expect that the current total operating number is significantly above that," he said. "If all you're looking at is the replacement cost for the munitions used, it's already well beyond $10 billion."

Operation Epic Fury Costs Rise as Munitions and Combat Losses Mount

The $11.3 billion figure does not capture the full scope of spending. It excludes costs tied to the buildup of military hardware and personnel ahead of the first strikes.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated the first 100 hours of the operation cost around $3.7 billion, or roughly $891 million per day. Most of those costs, about $3.5 billion, were not covered by existing budget allocations. The largest share came from munitions replacement, estimated at $3.1 billion, none of which was pre-budgeted.

The Pentagon also told lawmakers separately that $5.6 billion worth of munitions were used in just the first two days of strikes.

The American Enterprise Institute put the total incremental cost of the operation, including the pre-strike repositioning of naval and air assets starting in late December, at between $11.2 billion and $14.5 billion.

Penn Wharton Budget Model director Kent Smetters has projected the total economic cost could reach as high as $210 billion when broader macroeconomic impacts are factored in.

US Congress Debates $50 Billion Iran War Supplemental Funding

The Pentagon is reportedly preparing a supplemental funding request of around $50 billion, led by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, which could be released as soon as this week. The new money would cover weapons replacement and other war-related costs. Analysts say the figure is almost certainly too low.

Breaking Defense noted that the cost of replacing munitions alone could run into double-digit billions, with the US having struck over 6,000 targets inside Iran and fired hundreds of expensive interceptors against Iranian drone and missile barrages. A $50 billion supplemental, analysts warn, may fall significantly short of what is actually needed.

Some Democrats have said they will oppose any supplemental funding until the administration provides clearer information about the war's objectives and timeline. Lawmakers continue to debate the prospect of approving additional defense spending as the war, now in its second week, has caused hundreds of casualties across the region.

US Central Command confirmed it has struck over 5,500 targets inside Iran and struck or sunk more than 60 Iranian ships. Seven US service members have been killed and 140 wounded. The war has also contributed to the near-shutdown of Strait of Hormuz shipping and a historic spike in global oil prices.