The financial toll of the conflict in Iran continues to climb, with the Pentagon revealing on Tuesday that the estimated cost of the war has reached $29 billion, up from the $25 billion estimate provided at the end of April.

Jules Hurst, the acting under secretary of Defense and the Pentagon’s de facto chief financial officer, disclosed the new valuation during a hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Hurst explained to lawmakers that the $4 billion increase resulted from a more exhaustive analysis of the conflict’s fiscal requirements. According to Hurst, the Joint Staff and comptroller teams have been continuously refining their estimates, concluding that the higher price tag is necessary to account for the rising costs of repairing and replacing military equipment, alongside the general operational expenses required to maintain personnel in the theater of war.

The two-hour hearing was marked by bipartisan frustration, as legislators from both sides of the aisle pressed for greater transparency regarding the specific financial drain of the Iranian campaign. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth faced sharp questioning over the administration’s perceived lack of candor. While Hegseth committed to sharing information when deemed relevant and required, his responses did little to quell concerns about the long-term impact on the nation’s defense resources.

A primary point of contention during the testimony involved the state of America’s munition stockpiles. Lawmakers expressed fear that the intensity of the war in Iran is rapidly depleting critical supplies, potentially leaving the United States vulnerable. Secretary Hegseth aggressively pushed back against claims that the arsenal is in a state of depletion, specifically countering assertions made by House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. Hegseth insisted that the military currently possesses all the firepower necessary to execute its missions, though he noted that the Trump administration intends to “supercharge” production moving forward to ensure future readiness.

Beyond the immediate costs of the war, the hearing focused on President Trump’s massive $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027. Pentagon officials characterized this request as a necessary, one-time “plus-up” to address years of deferred maintenance and to accelerate technological advancement. Hurst noted that approximately $200 billion of the proposed budget is designated for one-time expenses, including the repair of failing barracks and facilities, as well as significant investments in artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Defense officials argued that after this initial surge in spending, the budget would likely stabilize at a lower top line of roughly $1.23 trillion for fiscal year 2028, which they believe can be sustained through standard discretionary funding.

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