The US war in Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said during a congressional hearing today, Reuters reported. The agency notes that this represents an increase of nearly $8 billion from the last publicly disclosed cost estimate, BTA reported.
Hegseth told lawmakers that the amount also includes suspended spending until September 30.
This is the first time that Hegseth, who appeared before the US Senate Appropriations Committee today along with the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kaine, has publicly answered questions from lawmakers since US forces resumed operations against Iran earlier this month.
Hegseth said that without an urgent increase in funding, some military exercises will have to be curtailed. "There are ongoing and future exercises that will have to be cut if our budget needs are not met, and urgently" Hegseth stressed in response to a question from Maine Senator Susan Collins, who heads the Senate Appropriations Committee, about the potential impact of the funding shortfall, defending the request for $67 billion in additional funding for the Pentagon.