Cost of Iran war rises to $37.5 billion, Pentagon requests $67.1 billion more

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21, 2026, reporting that the Iran war has cost the Department of Defense $37.5 billion to date. He requested $67.1 billion in emergency supplemental funding, of which $32.7 billion is for direct war operations and the remainder for other priorities including munitions ($21 billion), cybersecurity ($5.1 billion), drones ($2.4 billion), and classified programs ($12.1 billion). Senators expressed skepticism, noting the DoD already has $75 billion from a $156 billion reconciliation package and received over $1 trillion last year. The war, which began February 28, has escalated with 10 consecutive days of U.S. airstrikes, 18 U.S. service member casualties, and 14 merchant mariner deaths in the Strait of Hormuz. Hegseth argued the funding is needed to address neglect from the previous administration and meet new global realities.