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Pentagon Reveals $25B Cost for Two-Month Iran War

4/30/2026

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Left

Hurst Estimates War

Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst disclosed the first official $25 billion cost estimate for the two-month Iran war.
The United States is conducting a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz amid a two-month war.
Rep. Adam Smith said he was relieved to receive estimate after months of unanswered requests.
Committee members warned the war is depleting munitions and urged expanding the defense industrial base.

Right

Hegseth Defends

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the $25 billion cost of Operation Epic Fury, calling Democratic critics feckless.
The United States deployed three aircraft carriers and tens of thousands of troops to Middle East for Operation Epic Fury.
The Strait of Hormuz blockade has lifted global oil and natural-gas prices.
U.S. gasoline prices hit a four-year high, stoking Republican worries before the November election.

History

Historical Context

The 1991 Gulf War began with the coalition’s air campaign on 17 January 1991, launching more than 100,000 sorties and deploying roughly 540,000 troops to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. That conflict’s massive carrier-based blockade and oil-price shock set a precedent for today’s Operation Epic Fury, which mirrors the earlier use of carrier groups and a Strait of Hormuz blockade.

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Hurst Estimates War

Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst disclosed the first official $25 billion cost estimate for the two-month Iran war.
The United States is conducting a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz amid a two-month war.
Rep. Adam Smith said he was relieved to receive estimate after months of unanswered requests.
Committee members warned the war is depleting munitions and urged expanding the defense industrial base.

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