Pentagon reports Iran war has cost US$25bil so far

 Most of US military spending on Operation Epic Fury has been driven by munitions use since its late February launch.

US president Donald Trump has extended an initial two-week ceasefire indefinitely, though the conflict remains unresolved. (US Centcom pic)

WASHINGTON:

 The war against Iran has cost the US military US$25 billion since it was launched in late February, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

“We’re spending about US$25 billion on Operation Epic Fury. Most of that is in munitions,” acting Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told lawmakers, using the official name for US operation.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth later told the same congressional hearing that the estimated figure was less than US$25 billion at this point.

The Pentagon chief pushed back against questions about the war’s cost, saying: “The question I would ask this committee is, what is it worth to ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon?”

The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran’s military and leadership on Feb 28.

US President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended what was an initial two-week ceasefire that brought a halt to the fighting, but the conflict – and its widespread economic fallout – remains unresolved. - FMT