The Pentagon told lawmakers on Tuesday that the United States’ military campaign in Iran has incurred costs of $29 billion so far, an increase of $4 billion from the estimate provided at the end of April.
Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the comptroller, said the new total reflects updated figures for repair and replacement of equipment as well as operational costs. Hurst made the comments during testimony before lawmakers, noting that teams within the Pentagon are continually reassessing the estimate.
"The joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly looking at that estimate," Hurst said.
Hurst appeared at the hearing alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine. Officials did not provide a detailed breakdown of how the Pentagon calculated the $29 billion total at the time of the briefing.
The new $29 billion figure follows an April 29 Pentagon disclosure that placed the cost of the military campaign at $25 billion. The updated total therefore represents a $4 billion upward revision over the past several weeks.
Separately, a source told Reuters in March that the administration had estimated the first six days of the conflict cost at least $11.3 billion. How that earlier figure aligns with later estimates was not detailed during the congressional testimony.
The announcement comes with political events in the background - roughly six months remain until the midterm elections, and the matter has been raised in public debate. The testimony noted that Democrats, who are leading in public opinion polls according to the testimony context, have sought to link the military campaign to broader cost of living concerns as the campaign season approaches.
While Pentagon officials described the $29 billion number as subject to ongoing review, they also identified the primary components included in the updated tally: replacement and repair of matériel and continued operational expenditures. Beyond those components, officials did not present a line-by-line accounting in the session.
Summary
The Pentagon reported a $29 billion cost for U.S. military action in Iran, up $4 billion from an April estimate of $25 billion. The comptroller said the increase reflected updated repair and replacement costs plus operational spending, while Pentagon teams continue to refine the estimate. Officials did not provide a detailed breakdown of the calculation during testimony.
Key points
- The Pentagon's current estimate for the military campaign in Iran is $29 billion, an increase of $4 billion since late April.
- The updated total includes repair and replacement of equipment and operational costs, according to the comptroller performing the duties.
- Political implications are noted, with about six months until midterm elections and public debate linking the campaign costs to cost of living concerns.
Risks and uncertainties
- It is unclear how the Pentagon derived the $29 billion figure - the estimate remains under active review by joint staff and comptroller teams.
- The lack of a detailed, line-by-line breakdown raises uncertainty for budget planning and oversight in defense procurement and repair programs.
- Political scrutiny ahead of midterm elections could affect budget priorities and defense spending decisions, creating market and policy uncertainty.