The Department of Defense disclosed on Tuesday that the cost of the conflict with Iran has surged to nearly $29 billion, fueling a heated debate on Capitol Hill regarding military transparency and the depletion of U.S. munitions.
The updated figure, presented during a 2027 budget hearing, marks a $4 billion increase from estimates provided just two weeks ago. Pentagon finance chief Jules Hurst III explained that the jump reflects a more granular look at the toll taken on American hardware.
”At the time of testimony… it was $25 billion dollars. But the joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly looking at that estimate, and so now we think it’s closer to 29.”
Hurst attributed the rise to updated “repair and replacement of equipment costs” and broader operational expenses incurred during the hostilities.
The hearing featured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who faced sharp questioning from lawmakers. While the White House formally notified Congress that hostilities involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran had “terminated” as of February 28, the current ceasefire remains precarious. President Donald Trump warned Monday that the truce is currently on “life support.”
Democrats seized on the ballooning costs to question the administration’s long-term strategy and the legality of the engagement. Representative Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, pressed for a clear accounting of the mission’s outcomes.
”The question must be answered at the end — what have we accomplished and at what cost?”
Beyond the financial burden, the conflict has sparked a row over military readiness. Critics, including Senator Mark Kelly, have warned that heavy reliance on Tomahawk missiles and Patriot interceptors has drained stockpiles, potentially leaving the U.S. vulnerable in other theaters. However, Secretary Hegseth pushed back against claims of a munitions crisis.
”The munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated. We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need.”
Hegseth did not provide a specific timeline for when a supplemental funding request would be submitted to Congress, stating only that the administration would request “whatever we think we need” to cover the war’s expenses separately from the standard Pentagon budget.