The United States has spent at least $11.3 billion in the first week of its military campaign against Iran, according to a Pentagon estimate shared with Congress, The New York Times reported on Thursday.The figure marks the most detailed assessment so far of the financial cost of the conflict, which entered its 13th day with no clear end in sight.According to the report, the estimate covers the cost of the initial phase of US operations but does not include several major expenses, including the deployment of additional troops, aircraft and naval forces to the region before the strikes began. Officials expect the overall bill to rise as the Pentagon completes its accounting of the operation. Several congressional aides have said they expect the White House may soon submit a request to Congress for additional funding for the war. Some officials have said the request could be for $50 billion.The campaign began with large-scale US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure and leadership targets.
American commanders say the military has already hit more than 5,500 targets in Iran, with artificial intelligence helping identify and prioritise strike locations.The conflict has also widened beyond Iran. Israeli forces have continued strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, where the fighting has displaced more than 800,000 people, according to regional estimates. Meanwhile, Iran targeted Gulf nations including Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain.At the same time, competing claims about battlefield developments continue to emerge. An Israeli intelligence assessment suggested that Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, may have been wounded in the early days of the war. Iranian officials have dismissed the claim, saying he is “safe and sound”.
Cost of weapons deployed by the US
A significant share of the war’s cost has come from the rapid use of high-value precision munitions and missile defence systems.According to earlier briefings cited by The New York Times and The Washington Post, the US military expended about $5.6 billion worth of munitions in the first two days of the war alone.
The opening strikes relied heavily on precision weapons such as the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) — a glide bomb that can cost roughly $282,000 to over $700,000 per unit depending on the variant.US forces have also used large numbers of interceptors from Patriot and THAAD missile defence systems, which cost millions of dollars each, to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones.
Officials have indicated that as the campaign continues, the military plans to shift toward cheaper munitions, including Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits that convert conventional bombs into precision weapons. A JDAM guidance kit typically costs about $38,000, while the warhead itself may cost around $1,000.
Cheap drones vs expensive missiles
Another major challenge in the conflict has been Iran’s use of low-cost drones, particularly the Shahed series.These drones, which fly at low altitude and often produce a buzzing sound before striking targets, can cost tens of thousands of dollars to manufacture. Yet they are often intercepted using missile defence systems that cost millions per shot, creating what defence analysts describe as an unfavourable cost exchange for the US military.American officials say US forces have managed to shoot down most incoming drones and missiles, but experts argue that relying on expensive interceptors to counter cheap drones could become unsustainable in a prolonged conflict.
Political debate over war funding
The rising cost of the campaign has already triggered political divisions in Washington.Some Republicans, including Senator Mitch McConnell, have long pushed for increased investment in US munitions production to prepare for large-scale conflicts.However, other lawmakers, including some Republicans and many Democrats, have raised concerns about approving a supplemental defence funding package for a conflict that could become open-ended.Democratic lawmakers in particular have said they want the administration to provide clearer details about the strategy and endgame of the war before approving additional funding.
Rising human toll
Beyond the financial cost, the conflict has also caused heavy casualties across the region.The Iranian Red Crescent said more than 1,332 people have been killed in Iran since the US and Israeli strikes began.With airstrikes continuing and missile exchanges showing little sign of slowing, analysts warn that both the human and financial costs of the war could rise sharply if the conflict drags on.
