Pentagon raises cost estimate of Iran war to $29 billion

The ongoing war in Iran has so far cost the United States nearly $29 billion, a senior Pentagon official informed lawmakers on Tuesday. On April 29, the Pentagon had estimated the total cost of the war at $25 billion. The updated figure comes as political pressure mounts ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, where President Donald Trump and his Republican Party are expected to face a difficult battle to retain control of the House of Representatives. Democrats have been gaining momentum in opinion polls while seeking to connect the financial burden of the conflict with rising living costs faced by Americans. Jules Hurst, currently serving as the acting comptroller, told lawmakers that the revised estimate reflects updated operational expenses as well as the repair and replacement costs of military equipment. “The joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly reviewing the estimate,” Hurst said while appearing alongside Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine. The Pentagon has not publicly explained how it calculated the latest $29 billion figure. However, a source had earlier told the media in March that the Trump administration believed the first six days of the conflict alone had already cost at least $11.3 billion. Middle East crisis poses risks to Pakistan’s economic outlook: SBP