Iran war has cost US $37.5bn so far, Hegseth says

Iran war has cost US $37.5bn so far, Hegseth saysTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Watch: Hegseth interrupted several times as he seeks additional Iran war fundingBySareen Habeshian and Gary O'Donoghue, Chief North America correspondent, Reporting fromWashington DCPublished6 minutes agoThe war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn (£28bn) so far - an increase of nearly $8bn since the last estimate in May, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said.In his first appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee since the conflict restarted, Hegseth said that military training would need to be curtailed without an urgent funding boost. He said he was seeking $87bn in congressional funding for his department, with $67bn of that destined for operations in the Middle East.The hearing was interrupted several times by anti-war protesters, with some shouting "stop bombing our children in Iran and Palestine". Hegseth's appearance before the committee came at a pivotal time in the war after three US soldiers were killed in the Middle East. The White House asked Congress in April for $1.5tn for the Pentagon over the next fiscal year, which would raise US military spending to an all-time high in the modern era.The US launched a 10th consecutive day of strikes on Monday, and Iran retaliated with strikes of its own against the US and its allies in the Middle East.The defence secretary began Tuesday's testimony by saying, "we live in a dangerous world" and that it required bold and swift action.After being interrupted by protesters, Hegseth went on to say his funding request came at an urgent time, as "we have to prepare for war" in order to maintain peace.Critical investments needed to be made to prevent adversaries from outpacing the US, he continued."Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service...