US defense chief Hegseth puts the cost of Iran’s military at $37.5bn so far | Donald Trump News

The latest cost comes as Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Caine are proposing a $1.5 trillion budget, including $70bn for the Iran war.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has put the latest cost of the US-Israel war on Iran at $37.5bn.

Hegseth confirmed the figure at a meeting of the Senate appropriations committee on Tuesday, where he and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine were asked about their request for $ 1.5 trillion for US defense, including about $ 70bn for the war with Iran.

However, the figure is much lower than other estimates, especially those that include the costs of US consumers. For example, Moody’s Analytics estimates the domestic cost of the war to be $150bn, accounting for factors such as rising energy costs in the US.

“The estimate we have today is $37.5bn,” Hegseth said when asked by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin.

Hegseth added that the price also includes additional costs for ongoing operations and maintenance through the end of September, but did not provide specifics.

The latest statement is about $ 8bn more than the previous release by the administration of President Donald Trump of $ 29bn in May.

Hegseth appeared before the committee as the war between the US and Iran continues, after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that had been suspended since June 17 collapsed last week.

On Monday, the 10th consecutive night of US strikes, Trump said Iran will “pay” after the killing of two US soldiers over the weekend.

Last week, Trump threatened to target plants and bridges in Iran; sending ground forces to occupy the Iranian island of Kharg; and detonating a deep underground facility connected to nuclear weapons called Pickaxe Mountain.

The attacks have been aimed at areas Iran is using to project power over the Strait of Hormuz, its most important strategic point in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Iran has vowed to continue to destroy US assets in the region. The latest strikes have resulted in flooding and power outages in Kuwait, as well as affected areas in Bahrain and Jordan. The Houthis in Yemen, closely allied with Iran, too he announced A naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

In his opening remarks, Hegseth said difficulties on US weapons that came from the war, which the US and Israel launched on February 28.

He said money is needed to “expand the production lines and accelerate the delivery of the most wanted weapons. We are talking about solid rocket motors, JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munition), hypersonics, and anti-drone capabilities”.

The head of the Pentagon also spoke about the budget crisis that is expected in the middle of the war, saying that “future training should be reduced if we do not find our budget needs and meet them quickly, and yes, some are related to the budget management and the way things are together”.

Democratic Senator Patty Murray questioned the growing budget request, which included requests for money to be sent to the National Guard in Washington, DC, US operations against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean, and military patrols at the US border.

“So I will remain silent,” he said. “The truth is, your request doesn’t make sense.”