Pentagon: Iran War Would Cost Trillions, Thousands of Lives

Pentagon Details Iran War Costs, Casualties The U.S. Department of Defense on Wednesday disclosed the financial and human costs of "Operation Epic Fury" in Iran, revealing a $25 billion expenditure and 14 U.S. service member fatalities since the conflict began on February 28. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alongside General Dan Caine and Pentagon Comptroller Jay Hurst, presented these figures during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, marking the first public cost estimate for the operation.

The $25 billion cost primarily covers the deployment of tens of thousands of bombs and missiles, significantly depleting the Pentagon's inventory of long-range conventional munitions, including air-launched stealth cruise missiles and ground-launched Precision Strike Missiles. General Caine confirmed the death of 14 U.S.

service members, including Major Sorffly Davius of the Army National Guard, whose death on March 6 in Kuwait was attributed to a medical emergency, bringing the official casualty count to 14, one higher than previously reported online.

During the hearing, Hegseth defended the war as necessary to counter an "existential threat" from Iran. He also made an inaccurate claim regarding U.S.

aid to Ukraine, stating "hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of munitions" were provided, while official records indicate approximately $67 billion in military support since 2022. Hegseth further dismissed criticism of the Iran conflict and defended his previous statement about allowing "no quarter, no mercy for our enemies," despite concerns raised by lawmakers regarding its legality under military and international law.