Iran war has cost US $37.5bn so far, Hegseth says
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is requesting an additional $87bn in funding for military operations, citing a $37.5bn cost for the ongoing conflict with Iran. The request faced significant pushback from protesters and lawmakers during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
Why it matters
The escalating financial and human cost of the US-Iran conflict highlights growing political tension and potential fiscal strain on the Pentagon's budget.
Figure caption, Watch: Hegseth interrupted several times as he seeks additional Iran war funding
The war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn (£28bn) so far - an increase of nearly $8bn since the last estimate in May, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said.
Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee it was urgent that lawmakers approve another $87bn in congressional funding for the Pentagon, with $67bn of that destined for operations in the Middle East.
The hearing was disrupted several times by anti-war protesters and ended in a shouting match between the defence secretary and a senator.
It was Hegseth's first appearance on Capitol Hill since hostilities between the US and Iran restarted last week and comes after three American soldiers were confirmed killed in the region.
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