WASHINGTON, United States (US): The military campaign against Iran may end up costing the US nearly twice the Defence Department’s USD25 billion (approx. RM117.5 billion) estimates, as that figure does not account for rebuilding US bases damaged by Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported.
According to CNN on Wednesday, Pentagon Comptroller, Jules Hurst III, said that Washington’s expenses on the conflict with Iran had reached approximately USD25 billion.
However, three CNN sources familiar with the matter believe that the assessment is too low.
The real cost estimate is closer to USD40-50 billion (approx. RM188–235 billion) when factoring in the expenses of restoring US military facilities and replacing destroyed equipment, one of the sources told CNN.
The sum announced by the Pentagon does not include the cost of repairing significant damage inflicted on US bases in the region, the report said.
Hurst said that most of the USD25 billion had been spent on munitions, while Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, did not specify whether that estimates included restoration costs for damaged facilities.
In the early days of the conflict, Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Gulf countries seriously damaged at least nine US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the UAE and Qatar, according to CNN.
Moreover, several important US radar systems and other equipment in the Middle East were destroyed in retaliatory strikes, including a THAAD battery radar in Jordan and buildings housing similar systems at two sites in the UAE, the report said.
A US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft was also destroyed at an air base in Saudi Arabia.
In addition, the Pentagon’s USD1.5-trillion (approx. RM7.05 trillion) budget request for fiscal year 2027 does not reflect the final costs of restoring US military facilities abroad, CNN reported.
Hurst said the department does not yet have a final damage assessment for its overseas installations and continues to determine what exactly will need to be rebuilt.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK
