Pentagon offers new $29bn price tag for Iran’s military, eases weapons concerns | US-Israel War on Iran News

Appearing before a congressional panel, Secretary of Defense Hegseth says the US is ready to expand or end the war.

The Pentagon has released a new US-Israel deal war with Iransaying it has cost the United States $29bn.

The department head revealed all the new information at a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday along with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.

The estimate is an increase from $ 25 billion, Jules Hurst, told members of Congress at the end of April, the first time that the administration of the US President Donald Trump gave an official candidate. Several experts have questioned the Pentagon’s book, saying the real cost to US taxpayers is likely. very high.

Fighting has been largely halted in the US-Israeli war since April 8, barring a few flare-ups. Hurst said the difference was due to “renovations and equipment changes … and capital expenditures”.

Officials have not yet detailed the damage done to US military installations across the Middle East since the US-Israeli offensive began on February 28, nor have they disclosed how the war has affected the military’s stockpile.

When asked about concerns about the ability of the US to withdraw its weapons without weakening its image in the world, Hegseth said that the Pentagon is “well aware of all these forces”.

“The military issue has been ridiculous and pointless,” Hegseth told the House Appropriations subcommittee. “We know what we have; we have more than we need.”

The Pentagon chief also offered little insight into long-term military plans, a day after Trump rejected a new call for sanctions against Iran.

Mr Trump told reporters that the proposed suspension was “on life support” and “incredibly weak”.

Hegseth said there are plans to resume fighting and to slow down.

“We have a plan to expand if necessary,” he said. “We have a plan to come back if necessary. We have a plan to change things.”

It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will actually be interested in resuming hostilities amid the long-standing conflict over the Strait of Hormuz.

The war – and its economic consequences – has proven unpopular in the US and threatens to hurt Republicans in the mid-term elections in November.

On Tuesday, the United States Department of Labor reported that the consumer price index rose 3.8 percent from April 2025, the largest annual increase since 2023. On a monthly basis, April prices rose 0.6 percent from March as oil or gasoline prices rose 5.4 percent.

The perceived crisis in Washington was set to intensify during Trump’s visit to China this week, although US officials said they hoped to make progress on other issues, leaving behind disagreements over the Iran war.

Speaking at the meeting, which involves the Pentagon requesting $1.5 trillion in funding, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said responding to China’s growth will remain at the forefront of the trip.

He added that the Pentagon wants “diversity and a mix of forces that enable (Chinese President) Xi Jinping and others abroad, to ensure that we maintain and maintain restraint”.