The fight against Iran could become one of the most costly campaigns in recent years. According to a preliminary estimate from the Pentagon, the military operation is costing around $1 billion a day, a figure that, if the conflict continues, could raise the total bill to $210 billion.
The operation, called “Epic Fury,” began on Saturday with a series of attacks that led to the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several senior regime officials. Six days after the start of the offensive, the conflict has already left more than 1,000 dead inside Iran, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
The clash has also caused casualties among US forces. Six soldiers were killed in an Iranian drone attack on a military facility in Kuwait. In addition, the conflict has had repercussions in other countries in the region, such as Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye,
Estimates of the length of the war vary within the US administration itself. President Donald Trump has indicated that the conflict could last four to five weeks, although he has stated that the United States is prepared to continue “much longer” if necessary.
For his part, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth indicated in a press conference at the Pentagon that the war could last up to eight weeks. If the estimated cost of 1,000 million dollars per day is maintained, direct spending would reach around 56,000 million dollars in that period.
However, other scenarios contemplate a longer duration. According to a notification from the United States Central Command cited by American media, the war could last until September. In that case, direct military spending would exceed $215 billion, according to the Pentagon’s own calculations.
Broader economic impact
Economist Kent Smetters, director of the Budget Model at Penn Wharton, warns in an interview with the Daily Beast that the impact could be even greater if the indirect effects of the conflict are taken into account.
According to his calculations, the direct budget costs to American taxpayers could reach $65 billion, a figure that would rise to $95 billion if the war lasts more than two months.
To this must be added $115 billion in additional economic losses, caused by factors such as rising energy prices, business interruptions or financial instability. Together, the total bill could reach $210 billion.
Even before the start of the bombings, the previous military deployment had already entailed significant expense. The Pentagon had repositioned more than a dozen warships and more than 100 aircraft in the Middle East, an operation that cost approximately $630 million, according to former Defense Department budget official Elaine McCusker.
