US burns $11.3 billion in first six days of Iran war

The first six days of the war between the United States and Iran have already cost Washington an estimated $11.3 billion, according to figures shared by officials in a closed-door briefing with the Pentagon, news agency Reuters reported.

The estimate, however, captures only the initial operational cost of the conflict and excludes the billions already spent on troop deployments, weapons positioning and military hardware buildup ahead of the strikes, according to a report by The New York Times.

The war between the United States-Israel alliance and Iran entered its 13th day on March 12, after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets triggered the conflict on February 28.

War bill expected to surge

Officials say the final bill for the first week of combat will likely rise sharply as the Pentagon continues to tally cumulative expenses.

Reports by The New York Times and The Washington Post suggest that the US military spent nearly $5.6 billion in just the first two days of the war — a figure significantly higher than what was publicly disclosed earlier.

The Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, had earlier estimated that the first 100 hours of the operation cost about $3.7 billion, translating to roughly $891.4 million per day, according to The New York Times.

The initial wave of US bombardment on Iranian targets involved advanced precision weapons such as the AGM-154 glide bomb, which can cost up to $836,000 per unit. The US Navy had purchased around 3,000 of these bombs roughly two decades ago.

Congress may need to approve more war funds

With costs mounting rapidly, lawmakers in Washington may soon be required to approve additional funding for the conflict.

Several members of Congress have raised concerns that the war could drain US military stockpiles, particularly at a time when the defence industry is already struggling to meet growing demand.

Last week, US President Donald Trump met executives from seven major defense contractors as the Pentagon worked to replenish weapons and supplies, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged the administration to provide greater transparency to lawmakers and the public.

“When it comes to sending our servicemembers into harm’s way, the American people need to understand why. But right now, they don’t even have a ‘why.’ That needs to change,” Schumer said while opening the US Senate recently.

The ongoing strikes by the US and Israel on Iran since February 28 have reportedly killed around 2,000 people, underscoring the growing human and financial toll of a war that analysts warn could become far more expensive if it drags on.