Pentagon puts cost of Iran war at $47 billion

The estimate does not include damage to U.S. military assets and infrastructure in the region, which the Pentagon said it is still assessing. Sailors work on the flight deck during flight operations aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington on Oct. 14, 2026. George Washington is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy) The cost of the war with Iran has climbed to more than $47 billion, with most of the bill going toward replacing expended munitions, according to a Pentagon estimate provided to Congress. The Defense Department estimated that the war had cost $47.1 billion as of Oct.

16, up about $3.5 billion from the $43.6 billion it reported to lawmakers through Sept. 3. The estimate does not include damage to U.S. military assets and infrastructure in the region from Iranian attacks, which the Pentagon said it is still assessing. About $29 billion of the estimate is earmarked for replacing munitions, while another $6.1 billion is needed to replace lost equipment and platforms. Both expenses remain unfunded, the document states. The military has incurred about $11.9 billion in costs during the war, according to the estimate. That figure includes $7.6 billion in personnel support, airlift and other expenses for the Air Force, $2 billion in