Pentagon requests $21 billion to replenish munitions expended in Iran conflict

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Pentagon Leaders Testify on War Funding as Iran Conflict Intensifies

As the U.S. continues to expend offensive and defensive munitions in the fight against Iran, the Pentagon's top leaders are testifying before the Senate today about how to pay for the war — including to replace $21 billion in strike weapons and air defense interceptors already used.

The appearance of War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine comes as resumed hostilities have entered an 11th day and President Donald Trump renewed threats to attack Iran's deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain facility.

The Funding Request

Hegseth and Caine are appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee to explain why the extra money is needed. It is included in a nearly $90 billion supplemental budget request made by the White House last month.

Of that total, the administration is seeking $67.1 billion to address:

• "Operational costs incurred by the Department of War (DoW) during OEF [Operation Epic Fury]"
• Funding for military personnel and readiness expenses
• Operational costs to rebuild stocks expended by DoW
• Classified programs
• Other key expenses

As previously noted, the largest line item in the request is $21 billion for munitions fired off during the conflict. Concerns have been frequently highlighted over U.S. stocks of high-end offensive missiles, bombs, and air defense interceptors, as well as the difficulty in replacing them.

Munitions and Readiness Concerns

The Pentagon is seeking $21 billion in emergency funds to make up for munitions — such as Patriot air defense interceptors — expended in the war with Iran.

An official told The Washington Post that "the expansion of U.S. operations will be limited by dwindling stockpiles of air defense and long-range munitions and constraints on the ability to surge more troops and aircraft into the area because of battle damage."

Meanwhile, the money being used to fund the conflict is having a cascading downstream effect on the U.S. military.

"The funding crunch is already leading the Pentagon to limit training and maintenance that help maintain military readiness," The Washington Post reported, citing four current and former officials.

Continued Iranian Attacks

As Hegseth and Caine head to Congress, Iran is continuing to hit targets in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Jordan

Jordanian air defense systems "intercepted and shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the Kingdom's territories," the Jordanian military stated on X.

"The interception and downing operation resulted in no human injuries or material damage, and that Royal Engineering Corps teams handled the shrapnel impact sites, securing them in accordance with established procedures. The source indicated that the Jordanian Armed Forces – Arab Army continues to monitor the Kingdom's airspace and maintains its readiness to address any threat to its security and sovereignty."

Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (MSAB) has been particularly hard hit of late, including an attack that killed three U.S. troops and wounded many others. Identified casualties include:

• 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii
• Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas

Officials are waiting to identify the remains of a third servicemember.

Additional Casualty

The Pentagon this morning also announced that Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was killed in action during a controlled detonation of a downed One-Way Unmanned Aerial System on July 19, 2026, at Erbil Air Base, Iraq. The incident is under investigation.

Trump's Remarks

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump seemingly blamed Jordan for the casualties at MSAB.

"They did slip something through in Jordan and if we had other operators, you know, it would have — would not have happened, unfortunately," Trump said during a press conference with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. "But we, because we have the best equipment in the world, you know, we've stopped almost everything. But when you let other people do your job with the United States, we let other people do the job, and sometimes it doesn't work out so well."

Kuwait

"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression," the Kuwaiti Army announced on X. "The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of the air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks."

Kuwaiti officials say Iran had been specifically targeting the country's water and power infrastructure for days.

"In light of the continued Iranian aggression against the State of Kuwait, several power and water desalination plants were attacked yesterday evening – for the fourth consecutive day – resulting in fires breaking out in a number of their facilities," the Kuwaiti government stated.