US-Israel War Against Iran Reportedly Costs Up to $2 Billion per Day
TEHERAN — The escalating conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran has raised questions about the substantial costs borne by Washington. Last weekend, two sources in Congress told American broadcaster MSNBC that the war is estimated to cost approximately $1 billion per day. A day later, Politico reported that several Republican members on Capitol Hill privately expressed concern that the Pentagon is spending nearly $2 billion per day on the conflict.
US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at a Capitol Hill press conference last week that President Donald Trump is “plunging America into an endless conflict in the Middle East” and “spending billions of dollars to bombard Iran”.
“Yet they cannot find a single cent to make healthcare more affordable for the American people when they need a doctor,” he said, citing Al Jazeera on Tuesday (10 March 2025).
“There is no funding to help hardworking Americans purchase their first home, and there is no funding to lower the price of essential goods.”
Trump, who won the 2024 presidential election largely on promises to reduce the cost of living, is now experiencing declining popularity. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted hours after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on 28 February also showed low public support in America for the war.
The Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defence, has not released an official estimate of the war’s costs. However, analysts assess that the rapidly increasing costs are unlikely to be well-received by voters, particularly several months ahead of the midterm elections.
To gain a clearer picture of the war’s costs, Representative Brendan Boyle from Pennsylvania, a senior Democratic member of the House Budget Committee, has requested the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analyse the true cost of the conflict.
In an official letter sent on 5 March, Boyle requested the CBO analyse “the operational, logistical, and support costs of the war in Iran, including both direct and indirect costs related to the use of military force”.
He also requested estimates of “other additional costs”, including diplomatic operations and foreign aid. Furthermore, Boyle requested an analysis of opportunity costs, such as the impact on the United States’ ability to respond to potential Chinese aggression if aircraft carriers positioned near Taiwan are relocated to the Iran region.
Boyle also requested an analysis of the economic impact of the war on price levels.
He requested the study be conducted under several scenarios, including if the war lasts more than four to five weeks or if the United States deploys ground forces to Iran.