US Iran war costs reach $25 billion, Pentagon official says

The United States’ military campaign in Iran has cost $25 billion so far, a senior Pentagon official said on April 29, marking the first official estimate of the conflict’s financial toll as Washington continues operations in the region.

With just six months before mid-term elections in which President Donald Trump’s Republicans may face an uphill battle to keep their House majority, Democrats are increasingly seeking to link the war to domestic economic concerns, as public opinion on the conflict remains weak, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the comptroller, told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of that money was for munitions.

Hurst did not detail what that cost estimate included and whether it took into account the projected costs of rebuilding and repairing base infrastructure in the Middle East damaged in the conflict.

Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, responded to Hurst: "I'm glad you answered that question. Because we've been asking for a hell of a long time, and no one's given us the number."

The United States began carrying out strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, and the two sides are currently maintaining a fragile ceasefire. Since the start of the conflict, the Pentagon has deployed tens of thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, including maintaining three aircraft carriers in the region.

Thirteen U.S. troops have been killed in the conflict and hundreds wounded.

The war has also contributed to global energy market disruptions, with shipments of oil and natural gas affected since the conflict began, pushing up U.S. gasoline prices and increasing costs for agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, alongside broader inflation pressures.

Public approval of the conflict remains low. Just 34% of Americans approve of the U.S. operation in Iran, down from 36% in mid-April and 38% in mid-March, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

By Sabina Mammadli