First week of US campaign against Iran costs $6 billion, officials say

2026-03-08 - 21:03

WASHINGTON — The first week of the US military campaign against Iran has cost roughly $6 billion, with about $4 billion spent on munitions and advanced missile interceptors, Pentagon officials told Congress.According to a report by The New York Times, most of the spending has gone toward munitions and sophisticated interceptor systems used to shoot down Iranian missiles.The figures were disclosed during congressional discussions this week, where senior defense officials said additional funding will likely be required to sustain operations and replenish depleted stockpiles.The report said about 4,000 Iranian targets have been struck so far, including missile launchers, naval vessels and air defense systems, significantly weakening Tehran’s ability to retaliate.Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said Iran’s ballistic missile launches have dropped by about 90% since the first day of fighting, while drone attacks have fallen by roughly 83%.Despite the losses, Iran still retains a significant weapons capability, including an estimated half of its missile program.Lawmakers in Washington are preparing for a possible supplemental funding request from the administration in the coming weeks as the rapid spending draws scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans.Critics have warned that expensive interceptor missiles — some costing millions of dollars each — are being used at a pace that could strain the US defense industrial base and create shortages in other strategic theaters.The conflict began when the United States and Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iranian military targets on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior military officials.Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf countries, US bases, diplomatic facilities and military personnel across the region, as well as multiple Israeli cities.The escalation has also raised concerns about global energy supplies as maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a key route carrying about 20 million barrels of oil per day — has declined sharply.