WASHINGTON – The war in Iran has cost the U.S. military $47.1 billion as of Oct. 16, according to an estimate U.S. Central Command provided to Congress.
The cost update, obtained by USA TODAY, is almost certainly a significant undercount of the total cost of the war as it does not include estimates about damage to U.S. bases and facilities across the Middle East that were hit by Iranian strikes.
The latest cost estimate is $3.5 billion higher than U.S. Central Command’s last update on the financial impact of the Iran war.
The Pentagon said it has spent more than $29 billion to replace expended munitions such as air defense interceptors and bombs. The military spent an additional $6.1 billion on equipment replacement costs.
The war in Iran, which
has lasted for nearly eight months, has caused a shortage of certain critical munitions that the U.S. military needs to defend itself in other parts of the world, such as the Indo-Pacific. The Pentagon has expended roughly 65% of its Patriot missile interceptor stockpiles.
The Air Force, which has lost dozens of aircraft during the war, has spent $7.6 billion since fighting began, the most among the armed services. The Army has spent $2.1 billion while the Navy has spent $1.5 billion.
The United States and Israel jointly launched airstrikes against Iran on Feb. 28 in an effort to cripple the Iranian state. President Donald Trump initially predicted that the war would last only a few weeks, but it has dragged on for months.
The war has also taken a toll on the more than 50,000 U.S. service members who have deployed to Central Command’s area of responsibility. At least 21 U.S. service members have died, and 865 have been wounded since Feb. 28, according to the U.S. military’s official casualty database.
The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier recently returned home to San Diego after a grueling, 321-day deployment in the Middle East. The crew of roughly 5,000 spent several months at sea while operating in an active combat zone, a period of time that took a significant toll on sailors. Eight sailors assigned to the carrier strike group attempted suicide during the deployment.
The prolonged conflict upended the global economy, sending oil prices skyrocketing and driving up inflation. The war, which is deeply unpopular with Americans, may also hurt Republicans at the ballot box in next week's midterm elections.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that the United States may resume major military operations against Iran after the midterm elections. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth recently traveled to U.S. Central Command and Israel, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Trump administration has unsuccessfully tried to force Iran to capitulate to U.S. demands through military strikes, diplomatic negotiations, and economic sanctions. As Washington and Tehran remain at a stalemate, Trump may resort to a renewed bombing campaign against Iran.
"I have a decision to make: Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal?" Trump told Fox News on Oct. 25. "We don’t play games."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US military cost of Iran war tops $47B, Pentagon tells Congress
