The cost of the United States’ military campaign against Iran has risen to US$37.5 billion (RM153.3 billion), according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The figure was revealed on Tuesday during a congressional hearing in Washington, where Hegseth faced questions from lawmakers who expressed concerns over the ongoing conflict following President Donald Trump’s decision to resume military operations against Tehran.
Hegseth told members of Congress that the estimated cost covered various aspects of the war, with calculations made up to Sept 30.
However, questions remain over how the Pentagon reached the latest figure, as the Trump administration previously estimated that the first six days of the conflict in early March had already cost around US$11.3 billion (RM46.2 billion).
Last month, Trump requested nearly US$90 billion (RM368 billion) in additional defence funding from Congress, sparking further debate among lawmakers who have raised concerns over the impact of the war ahead of the November midterm elections.
The prolonged conflict, which has no clear objective according to critics, has placed additional pressure on the Pentagon’s budget, which is nearing US$1 trillion (RM4.09 trillion), while potentially affecting funding for military personnel welfare and future defence investments.
Hegseth not only urged Congress to approve the additional funding request but also backed a proposed US$1.5 trillion (RM6.13 trillion) defence budget for 2027.
Since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on Feb 28, Congress has criticised Trump’s administration for failing to provide detailed explanations about the conflict and its future direction.
The number of US military personnel killed in the war has also increased to 18, while about 430 others were reported injured.
Trump has recently indicated that the military campaign could expand further, with possible strikes targeting energy infrastructure, bridges, the Kharg Island oil hub and Iran’s nuclear facilities.
