The first week of the war in Iran cost the United States at least $11.3 billion, Pentagon officials told lawmakers during a closed-door briefing this week.
The cost update comes as President Donald Trump on Wednesday insisted the conflict in Iran has effectively been won, citing the elimination of the country’s defense infrastructure.
Defense officials shared the estimate with senators on Tuesday as lawmakers pressed the administration for details about the scope and expected duration of the war.
The $11.3 billion figure covers roughly the first six days of fighting and does not include the full cost of the campaign, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
A significant portion of the spending was due to the use of advanced munitions. Pentagon officials previously told Congress that U.S. forces expended about $5.6 billion worth of weapons in just the first two days of strikes against Iran.
The high cost reflects the scale of the operation, which has involved extensive airstrikes, missile defense systems, naval deployments, and operations across the Persian Gulf and surrounding region.
Trump said the U.S. had “won” the conflict but added that American forces would continue operations despite there being “practically nothing left to target,” reflecting a message the Trump administration pushed in recent days as U.S. strikes continue across the region.
The war has rapidly expanded since its opening hours, with U.S. and Israeli strikes hitting targets across Iran and related military activity spreading into Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East.
The fighting has also rattled global energy markets and shipping routes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies.
Gas prices have increased since the start of the war, but Trump has promised that oil will continue to flow through the Strait and has secured the release of 172 million barrels of refined oil from U.S. reserves.
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In the Strait, Iran has begun deploying naval minelaying boats that have been a U.S. target. Trump said Wednesday that 31 such boats had been destroyed.
The escalating costs are likely to intensify an already heated debate in Congress, which will ultimately have to approve additional funding for the military campaign.
