Pentagon Puts US Cost of Iran War at $47.1 Billion
The Pentagon has told US lawmakers that the US-Israel war on Iran had cost American taxpayers at least $47.1 billion as of October 16, 2026, according to Al Jazeera. Reuters reported on October 28, citing the Pentagon, that the new estimate is more than 25% higher than the Defense Department's previous one.
The war began on February 28. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route, in early March, shortly after fighting started. Before the closure, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, a form of natural gas chilled into liquid for transport by sea, moved through the strait. In the US, the price of diesel has nearly doubled since the war began.
The Pentagon's estimate includes a projected $29 billion needed to replace expended munitions, such as bombs, bullets and other military hardware. According to the New York Times, bombs, missiles and other munitions accounted for more than 60 percent of US war expenses through October 16.
The spending is spread across the armed services and support agencies. The Air Force has spent $7.6 billion on fighter and bomber units since the war started. The Navy has spent $1.5 billion on two dozen warships and aircraft carriers. The Army has spent $2.1 billion to sustain its troops in the Middle East. The Pentagon has also spent $6.1 billion to replace damaged aircraft and munitions, $645 million on transport and support for commandos, and $24.5 million on in-house medical support. US Transportation Command spent $92.2 million to move equipment, and US Cyber Command spent $14 million on cyber support operations.
The $47.1 billion figure does not include repairs to damaged US military bases or the cost of fuel for ships and aircraft. US Central Command, the military command for the region, says more than 50,000 American troops are stationed in the Middle East.
The Pentagon has publicly acknowledged 18 US service member deaths in the war. The Washington Post, citing six unnamed US officials, has reported that the true US death toll is at least 22. The Pentagon's Defense Casualty Analysis System, a database of military casualties, lists 865 US military personnel wounded.
Five Democratic senators have written to Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, demanding that the Pentagon reveal the true cost of the war. The US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3, 2026, and will determine whether President Donald Trump's Republican Party keeps control of Congress.
