Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday provided an updated estimate for the cost of the ongoing conflict with Iran, placing the figure at $37.5 billion. He presented this assessment during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, noting that the estimate accounts for expenses from the conflict’s onset on February 28 through the present, as well as anticipated costs extending into early September. The total includes operational and maintenance expenditures alongside military personnel pay.

This new estimate represents an increase from prior figures released by the Department of Defense earlier this year, which ranged between $25 billion and $29 billion. The differences stem in part from whether certain damages and operational costs are included. For instance, the Pentagon’s comptroller nominee, Jules Hurst, had maintained a $29 billion figure in May, which excluded damages to U.S. military facilities and equipment.

The hearing unfolded amid heightened hostilities after a temporary cease-fire brokered by former President Donald Trump earlier this year ended on July 8. Since then, fighting between U.S. and Iranian forces escalated, with significant casualties reported on both sides. An Iranian strike on a base in Jordan resulted in the deaths of two U.S. soldiers and left a third missing, with remains later recovered. Additionally, a U.S. servicemember was killed in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone. Iran has reported at least 50 fatalities from U.S. strikes since the truce’s collapse.

In seeking funding for the military’s ongoing efforts in the conflict, the Biden administration and the Pentagon have requested up to $70 billion in emergency military appropriations. This amount includes approximately $46 billion aimed at expanding production of high-demand munitions, such as precision-guided bombs, hypersonic missiles, and counter-drone systems, to meet evolving technological challenges on the battlefield. Secretary Hegseth emphasized that the request is grounded in changing global security realities and the need to modernize U.S. military capabilities rapidly.

However, the request has drawn skepticism from some lawmakers across party lines. Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, questioned the designation of the funding as an emergency need, suggesting it may circumvent the usual appropriations process. She criticized the Pentagon’s financial planning rather than lack of resources, implying that regular budget channels should be sufficient.

Secretary Hegseth, in turn, attributed the increased funding requirement to what he described as neglect by the current administration in properly supporting the Department of Defense. He stressed the urgency of adapting to modern warfare tactics, particularly the proliferation of inexpensive, widely available drone technology.

The debate reflects broader congressional scrutiny over the U.S. strategy, cost transparency, and resource allocation related to the Iran conflict, with lawmakers continuing to seek detailed information on expenditures and military objectives.