US Spends Rp508 Trillion on War Against Iran, Up from Initial Report
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has disclosed the latest data on the costs incurred by the United States (US) in the war against Iran. The figure reaches $29 billion, equivalent to Rp508 trillion (at an exchange rate of Rp17,500 per US dollar). This amount is an increase of $4 billion compared to the data previously released by the Pentagon.
During a budget hearing held at Capitol Hill on Tuesday (12/5/2026), Pentagon Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst was questioned about the costs already expended by the US Government in the war against Iran. Hurst acknowledged that in his initial testimony, the figure he provided was $25 billion (Rp437.5 trillion).
“However, the joint staff team and financial oversight team have continuously reviewed that estimate, and now we believe it is closer to $29 billion,” Hurst stated, citing updates on repair and equipment replacement costs as well as broader operational expenditures, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Tuesday (12/5/2026).
Democratic Party Congress members questioned the Pentagon’s calculations. This comes after a meeting on 30 April 2026, where the Pentagon stated that the costs allocated for the war against Iran were $25 billion.
According to Democratic Congress members, the actual costs, including damages caused by Iranian attacks, could be much higher. “The ultimate question that must be answered is, what have we achieved and at what cost?” asked Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic leader on the US House Appropriations Committee.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also attended the budget discussion meeting at Capitol Hill on Tuesday. He was asked about when the Pentagon would provide a complete report on the costs already spent on war needs against Iran. However, Hegseth did not provide a deadline.
Hegseth also refused to give an estimate of the value of material losses borne by the US due to Iranian attacks. He shifted the focus by stating that the price the US would pay would be much higher if Iran possessed nuclear weapons.
Additionally, Hegseth dismissed warnings that the conflict with Iran has drastically depleted US ammunition reserves. “The ammunition issue has been stupidly exaggerated and is unhelpful. We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need,” he said.