Pentagon: War with Iran cost US $25 billion

Jules Hurst, the Pentagonʼs acting financial controller, said the US war against Iran cost the country $25 billion. This is the first official estimate of the US spending on the war.

His words are reported by Reuters.

Six months before the congressional elections, the Democratic Party is trying to link the unpopular war in Iran to the issue of availability of funds. Hurst told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of that money was spent on ammunition.

He did not specify what that cost estimate included or whether it included projected costs to rebuild and repair infrastructure at bases in the Middle East damaged during the war. In March, a source told Reuters that the White House estimated the first six days of the war had cost the United States at least $11.3 billion.

The $25 billion war spending is equal to NASAʼs entire budget for this year.

War in the Middle East and negotiations between Iran and the US

On the morning of February 28, the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. These attacks killed Iranʼs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and almost the entire military leadership of the country — about 40 key high-ranking officials.

Iran, in response to the US and Israeli attacks, began shelling Arab countries and Israel. The war also halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea corridor between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. It was through it that almost a fifth of the worldʼs oil exports passed — tens of millions of barrels a day.

On April 8, the parties agreed to a two-week ceasefire. On April 13, the United States began a naval blockade of Iranian ports, demanding the complete unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz for all ships.

On April 17, Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, after which Iran unblocked the Strait of Hormuz. However, on April 18, Iran announced that it was again blocking the Strait of Hormuz due to the US naval blockade. On the same day, Iran fired on several ships attempting to pass through the strait.

On April 19, Donald Trump announced that his representatives would go to Pakistan for talks. But Iran refused to send its delegation. The Foreign Ministry noted that the US had violated the ceasefire, and Iran "cannot forget the US attacks on it during previous talks".

On April 21, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had extended the truce with Iran until the Iranians submitted their proposals and concluded discussions.

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