Iran war's true cost closer to $50 billion, not $25 billion, U.S. officials say

Politics Iran war's true cost closer to $50 billion, not $25 billion, U.S. officials say By Eleanor Watson, Eleanor Watson CBS News Reporter Eleanor Watson is a CBS News multi-platform reporter and producer covering the Pentagon. Read Full Bio Eleanor Watson, Olivia Gazis Olivia Gazis Olivia Gazis covers intelligence and international security matters for CBS News. Twice Emmy-nominated, she has traveled worldwide with the secretary of state and contributes reporting on intelligence, foreign policy and other security topics across CBS News broadcast, radio, online and streaming platforms. Read Full Bio Olivia Gazis April 30, 2026 / 3:41 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — The true price tag of the Iran war is closer to $50 billion, U.S. officials familiar with internal assessments told CBS News, roughly double the public estimate the Pentagon cited in congressional testimony this week. In testimony Wednesday on Capitol Hill, a Pentagon official placed the cost of the Defense Department's Operation Epic Fury at about $25 billion, a figure that did not fully account for damaged or destroyed equipment or U.S. military installations damaged. As Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared before lawmakers this week to defend the Pentagon's sprawling $1.5 trillion budget request, U.S. officials familiar with internal assessments suggested the war's price tag is closer to $50 billion so far. Much of the gap is accounted for by munitions that have been used and need to be replaced. For instance, the Pentagon has lost 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones — sophisticated unmanned aircraft that can cost $30 million or more apiece — underscoring how quickly the financial toll has mounted. Taken together, the higher estimate reflects not only the tempo of operations but also the often unseen costs of attrition, as material lost in the field reshapes the ledger.The Pentagon's acting comp...