The US war on Iran cost Washington an estimated $33.4 billion through June 29, including $22.3 billion spent on weapons and ammunition, according to a Pentagon watchdog report released Monday.
The report, covering US military action in Iran through June 30, provides the first quarterly assessment of Operation Epic Fury and details the financial, military and logistical impact of the conflict.
The US Department of Defense also spent $7.4 billion on other war-related costs, while military equipment worth an estimated $3.7 billion was lost, the report said. The figures do not include the cost of repairing damaged infrastructure.
Pentagon flags US weapons shortages
The heavy use of US weapons during the conflict has raised concerns about the country’s military stockpiles.
According to the Lead Inspector General report, the intensive use of munitions has resulted in “strategic inventory shortfalls” and exposed bottlenecks in the industrial base that could affect the resupply of weapons.
US acquisition officials told the inspector general that they were working to speed up procurement processes and production timelines while stockpiling critical materials, components and selected munitions to prepare for future contingencies.
The findings come despite repeated assurances from US President Donald Trump that the country has sufficient weapons and ammunition.
Iranian strikes damaged US bases
Iranian strikes damaged or destroyed “hundreds of buildings and structures” at US military bases across the Gulf region, according to information provided by US Central Command.
US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also suffered physical damage. The report estimated the damage to those facilities at $184 million.
The conflict also resulted in significant losses involving US military aircraft and drones.
A fifth-generation F-35A fighter jet was damaged by enemy fire, marking the first reported battle damage suffered by an F-35A. Four F-15E fighter jets and an A-10 ground-attack aircraft were destroyed by the end of June.
Seven KC-135 refuelling aircraft were damaged or destroyed, while the US also lost seven helicopters and more than 30 drones, the report said.
$22.3 billion munitions bill
The $22.3 billion spent on munitions represented a substantial portion of the overall estimated cost of the war.
The report’s findings have drawn attention to US weapons inventories, an issue Trump has repeatedly played down.
Trump said in an August 6 statement that the US had massive amounts of munitions, while in a September 9 post he claimed the country had “virtually unlimited amounts” of mid- to high-grade ammunition.
In March, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth said the department planned to seek about $200 billion in additional funding for the war and to replenish weapons and equipment.
By July, Hegseth told senators that the conflict had cost $37.5 billion and defended an $88 billion emergency funding package, including $67.1 billion specifically for the Iran war.
US military casualties
The Pentagon watchdog report said 11 US service members had been killed in action by the end of July, while another seven died in non-hostile incidents during the operation.
More than 400 US service members had been wounded in action through the end of June, according to the report.
