U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing on the Iran war, amid a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 24, 2026. (Credit: Kevin Lamarque/ Reuters)
The war against Iran has cost the U.S. military $25 billion since it was launched in late February, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.
"We're spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury. Most of that is in munitions," acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told lawmakers, using the official name for U.S. operation.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later told the same congressional hearing that the estimated figure was less than $25 billion at this point.
The Pentagon chief pushed back against questions about the war's cost, saying: "The question I would ask this committee is, what is it worth to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon?"
The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran's military and leadership on Feb. 28.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended what was an initial two-week cease-fire that brought a halt to the fighting, but the conflict — and its widespread economic fallout — remains unresolved.
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