US–Iran war: Pentagon seeks additional $50 billion as ‘years’ worth of critical munitions spent in days
The Iran War Cost Tracker indicates the conflict's costs exceed $17 billion, with the US spending about $1 billion daily. Lawmakers express concerns over depletion of military resources, as the Pentagon prepares to request an additional $50 billion amid rising energy costs and supply uncertainties.
The Trump administration has already used up “years” worth of key munitions since the conflict with Iran began, Financial Times reported, citing three people familiar with the situation.
The rapid depletion has raised concerns about the mounting cost of the war and Washington’s ability to rebuild its weapons stockpiles, the report stated.
Earlier, lawmakers were informed in a Pentagon briefing that the first week of the conflict with Iran cost the United States over $11.3 billion, according to a report by the New York Times, highlighting how quickly the war is depleting weapons and resources. The Times, citing unnamed sources familiar with Tuesday’s closed-door briefing, noted that this figure does not include many expenses associated with the pre-strike buildup, implying that the total cost for the opening week could be significantly higher.
The ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran is unsettling companies around the globe, pushing up energy costs, tightening supplies of important raw materials and raising doubts about the dependability of key shipping routes that are essential for transporting everything from food to automobile parts.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is expected to soon request as much as $50 billion in additional military funding from the White House and the United States Congress, The Financial Times reported.
The supplemental budget request is likely to trigger a heated debate on Capitol Hill, highlighting growing unease among lawmakers over the administration’s handling of the conflict, as reported by FT.
Lisa Murkowski, a Republican member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which approves the federal budget, cautioned that lawmakers will resist any expectation from the White House for an unrestricted funding request, the FT reported.
She emphasised on Thursday that the Pentagon must “engage” with Congress.
Any supplemental funding bill for the war in Iran could encounter significant opposition in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "absolutely not" when asked by Sky News on Thursday whether there was a price that could cause him to confront President Donald Trump and say the Iran war was no longer affordable, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator and Air Force veteran Mark Kelly told MS Now that “the rounds we’re firing — Patriot rounds, Thaad rounds . . . these weapon systems, each round is millions of dollars,” and contrasted that with Iran’s cheaper arsenal, noting the Iranians are “firing cheap drones”, referring to Shahed drones that US intelligence officials say Iran can produce for about $30,000 each.
“The math on this doesn’t work,” Kelly added, as reported by FT.
Meanwhile, Tomahawk missiles, subsonic cruise missiles with a 1,000-pound warhead, are produced by US defence contractor RTX at $3.6 million each.
Over the past five years, the US military has purchased only 322 missiles, including 57 allocated for fiscal year 2026 at a cost of $206.6 million, meaning it can replenish only a small portion of the missiles likely expended in recent operations.
The US also deployed at least 124 Tomahawks in previous strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen and Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2024 and 2025.
Iran's Shahed
Developed in Iran and costing only around $20,000, the Shahed has become a prominent weapon in modern conflicts, with Tehran’s ally Russia deploying the drones extensively during its long-running conflict with Ukraine.
In recent days, these drones have hit US military bases, oil facilities, and civilian structures following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran that began Saturday, which involved cruise missiles, drones, and precision-guided bombs.
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), an independent Washington think tank, estimated that the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost $3.7 billion, averaging over $891 million per day, AFP reported.
CSIS noted that the majority of this spending, $3.5 billion, had not been previously allocated in the budget.
Meanwhile, the Iran War Cost Tracker website, which provides real-time estimates of the conflict’s cost, showed the total exceeding $17 billion as of around 08:00 GMT on Thursday. The site reported that the United States is currently spending about $1 billion per day on the war.
However, it cautioned that the actual cost is likely higher, as these figures do not account for long-term expenses such as veteran healthcare.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Mausam Jha is a journalist who focuses on world affairs and politics. She provides clear, informative reporting with a good understanding of both global events and their local impact. <br><br> Her clear, accessible reporting on political and international issues makes her a trusted source of news and analysis. <br><br> For the past three years, Mausam has worked with Mint, covering national politics, IR—including elections—and global affairs.<br> Before joining her current role, she gained experience working with The Statesman, ANI, and Financial Express, where she honed her skills in political and international news. <br><br> She has consistently tracked key electoral battles, including US elections, Japan elections, policy debates, and strategic affairs, explaining how global currents, from great power competition to regional conflicts <br><br> Beyond journalism, Mausam has a deep engagement with international relations, diplomacy, war studies, terrorism, political history, and political theory. She is particularly interested in the intersection of statecraft and society on how governance, ideology, and institutions shape lived realities, and how politics shape today's world order. <br><br> An avid reader of classical literature and political thought, she constantly explores the connections between historical ideas and contemporary policy challenges.