The first week of the U.S.’ war with Iran cost around $11.3 billion, military officials told members of Congress in a briefing this week, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
That figure is a low-end estimate and does not include the build-up costs of moving assets into place ahead of the operation’s start on Feb. 28. The war was preceded by a monthslong military buildup, with two U.S. aircraft carriers and their escort ships shifted to the Middle East.
The estimate was first reported by The New York Times.
Sen. Chris Coons, the top Democrat on the Senate subcommittee that handles defense appropriations, told reporters Wednesday he believed the $11.3 billion figure was “roughly accurate.”
Coons also said: “I expect that the total operating number is significantly above that.”
He said it would be a “fair guess” that the war’s daily cost is well over $1.5 billion, though it varies day-to-day depending on military operations. The cost of replacing the munitions that have been used in the war is probably “already well beyond $10 billion,” he said.
A U.S. official briefed on Pentagon estimates told CBS News earlier this week that the cost of munitions used during the first two days of the war in Iran was $5.6 billion.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank offered a more conservative estimate this week, figuring the war’s first 100 hours cost $3.7 billion, or $891.4 million per day. That includes the cost of operating fighter aircraft, naval vessels and ground units in the region, plus upwards of $3 billion to replenish the munitions used by the military and hundreds of millions of dollars to replace three F-15s that were lost.
The Pentagon has not publicly offered any figures on the war’s cost.
CBS News has reached out to the Pentagon for comment.
The war began 11 days ago, and so far, it has involved the U.S. striking over 5,000 targets, including dozens of Iranian ships, military bases, missile launch sites and intelligence facilities, according to U.S. Central Command. The U.S., Israel and several U.S.-allied Arab countries have also intercepted scores of Iranian missiles and drones.
It’s unclear how long the war will last. President Trump has previously estimated it might last about a month, but he told CBS News on Monday the operation is “very complete” and could wrap up soon, arguing Iran’s military has already suffered severe damage. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview on “60 Minutes” that “this is only just the beginning.”
At some point, the Trump administration is expected to ask lawmakers to pass a supplemental funding package to cover the cost of the war — though the exact size of the request isn’t clear.
Republican Rep. Tom Cole, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said last week he expects a “very robust request” from the military. When asked Tuesday about the size of the supplemental, House Speaker Mike Johnson said: “We don’t know the scope of it yet.”
When asked about the prospect of approving funding for the war, some Democrats have argued they need more details from the administration about the cost of the campaign and its goals.
“Before I would even begin considering something like that, they owe us an accounting of how much has been expended,” said Coons. “We did have some lengthy exchanges about that yesterday. I am not satisfied with the information I’ve got so far.”