Kashmir Impulse Desk

Washington, May 13 

The cost of the United States’ military conflict with Iran has risen to nearly $29 billion, the Pentagon told lawmakers on Wednesday, up about $4 billion from an estimate provided last month.

The revised figure was disclosed during a congressional budget hearing as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine and Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst III testified on the administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027.

“We think it’s closer to $29 billion,” Pentagon officials said, citing updated repair and replacement costs for military equipment as well as broader operational expenses linked to the conflict.

The disclosure comes as President Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers over the economic and military impact of the war.

Pressed by members of Congress on when the administration would provide a full accounting of the conflict’s cost, Hegseth said the White House would seek additional funding separately from the main Pentagon budget if required, but did not provide a timeline for a supplemental request.

Some lawmakers and analysts questioned whether the Pentagon’s estimate fully reflected the broader economic impact of the conflict, including rising energy prices and disruptions to global shipping routes.

Several lawmakers said the closure and instability around the Strait of Hormuz had contributed to higher fuel and consumer prices in the United States.

In April, US Representative Ro Khanna estimated that the wider economic impact of the conflict on the US economy could reach as high as $631 billion.

The Pentagon did not immediately provide a detailed breakdown of the updated $29 billion estimate.