Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - The Pentagon has pegged US spending on the Iran war at $25 billion so far mostly munitions but insiders say the real figure could balloon to $40-50 billion or more once repair costs for damaged bases, aircraft, and infrastructure are tallied. These expenses remain unaccounted for in the proposed $1.5 trillion FY27 defense budget, as officials continue assessing the full damage from Iranian strikes, leaving Congress and taxpayers in the dark on the conflict's true financial toll.

Acting Comptroller Jules Hurst testified before the House Armed Services Committee that the $25 billion covers eight weeks of operations, dominated by missile and drone expenditures amid the Hormuz blockade standoff. However, this excludes pre war buildups, lost equipment ($1.7B+ early estimate), and repairs to runways, radars, and facilities hit by Iranian retaliation costs potentially adding tens of billions more. The FY27 $1.5T budget request already a 50% jump predates full war accounting and omits these line items, drawing fire from lawmakers demanding transparency. Early conflict tallies hit $11.3B in week one alone (excluding repairs), with supplemental requests over $200B floated. Iran's own damages exceed $270B, but US focus remains on sustaining blockade pressure despite economic blowback like oil spikes fueling inflation.

As Pentagon audits drag on, the Iran war's $25B headline masks a likely $40-50B+ reality including unreported repairs, straining the $1.5T budget and risking fiscal backlash. Trump's extended blockade strategy amplifies costs without clear endgame, turning the conflict into a black hole for taxpayer dollars amid global energy chaos.