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US defence chief Hegseth puts Iran war cost at $37.5bn so far
Al Jazeera • • nation
Key Points:
- U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed the official cost of the US-Israel war on Iran at $37.5 billion during a Senate appropriations committee hearing, which is part of a $1.5 trillion defense budget request.
- This figure is significantly lower than other estimates, such as Moody’s Analytics' $150 billion domestic cost projection, which factors in economic impacts like higher energy prices.
- The $37.5 billion includes some operations and maintenance costs through the end of September and is about $8 billion higher than the previous $29 billion estimate from May.
- The hearing took place amid escalating conflict between the US and Iran, with recent US strikes targeting Iranian influence sites and Iran responding with attacks on regional assets, including in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
- Hegseth highlighted strains on US weapons stockpiles and warned of potential cuts to military training if budget needs are not met, while some senators questioned the overall defense budget request's coherence and priorities.
