Jules Hurst III provided the estimate in response to a question from Representative Adam Smith, the committee’s ranking member. “So approximately, at this day, we’re spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury. Most of that is ammunitions,” Hurst said.
Hurst said the administration plans to seek additional funding once a full review of wartime expenses is completed. “We will formulate a supplemental through the White House that will come to Congress once we have a full assessment of the cost of the conflict,” Hurst said.
Smith said lawmakers had been pressing for clearer figures on the financial impact of the conflict. “I’m glad you answered that question, because we’ve been asking for a hell of a long time, and no one’s given us the number,” Smith replied. “So if you could get those details over to us, that would be great.”
Hurst’s remarks offered a new estimate as the U.S. military continues to expend significant amounts of key munitions during the conflict. The Hill reported that the war has heavily drawn down Pentagon stockpiles of Tomahawk missile and Patriot missile system interceptor missiles.
Pentagon officials told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing in early March that the first six days of military operations against Iran had already cost more than $11.3 billion. The latest estimate suggests costs have risen substantially as the conflict has continued.
A report published earlier this month by the American Enterprise Institute estimated the overall cost of the war at between $25 billion and $35 billion. The Pentagon’s latest figure places current spending at the lower end of that range.
Source: The Hill.
