CNN: U.S. War Costs in Iran Have Reached at Least $45.1 Billion
A Pentagon estimate cited by the U.S. broadcaster includes $43.6 billion in war costs and $1.5 billion in additional fuel expenses, but excludes several categories of potential spending.
A Pentagon estimate cited by CNN puts the U.S. cost of the war with Iran at $45.1 billion through September 3, including $43.6 billion in war-related spending and $1.5 billion in additional fuel costs. The estimate excludes repairs to damaged facilities and does not fully account for indirect costs. The Congressional Budget Office previously projected monthly costs of $2 billion to $3 billion and warned of a possible increase in inflation during the first quarter of 2027.
The cost of the United States’ war with Iran has reached at least $45.1 billion, according to a Pentagon estimate provided to Congress and cited by CNN, as reported by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
The estimate covers spending through September 3, according to the report. It consists of $43.6 billion in war-related costs and an additional $1.5 billion for fuel. CNN said the figure does not represent a complete accounting of the conflict’s financial impact.
Among the expenses not included are the costs of repairing damaged U.S. bases and buildings. The report also said that the Pentagon had not provided Congress with the detailed information on indirect costs that lawmakers had requested.
The estimate marks a substantial increase from earlier projections. The Congressional Budget Office had forecast costs of approximately $38 billion through August 1. Before that, the Pentagon had estimated in July that the war had cost $37.5 billion.
The latest Pentagon figure is therefore $7.1 billion higher than the Congressional Budget Office’s earlier projection and $7.6 billion above the Pentagon’s July estimate. The differences reflect the continuing accumulation of expenses as the conflict has continued, although the available report does not provide a detailed breakdown of the changes between the estimates.
According to the report, most of the spending identified in the earlier Congressional Budget Office estimate was related to munitions. That estimate, like the Pentagon’s latest calculation, did not include the cost of repairing damaged facilities.
The Congressional Budget Office also projected that the war could continue costing the United States approximately $2 billion to $3 billion per month after August 1. It said spending could rise further during periods of intensified fighting.
The financial consequences could extend beyond direct military expenditures. The Congressional Budget Office told Congress that the war was expected to increase inflation in the first quarter of 2027. The forecast comes as Americans are described in the report as increasingly concerned about economic conditions, raising the possibility that additional war-related spending could add pressure to household and national finances.
The $45.1 billion figure should therefore be understood as a partial estimate rather than a final total. It includes the costs identified by the Pentagon through September 3, including additional fuel expenses, but excludes repairs to damaged facilities and does not fully detail indirect costs. The total could rise further if the conflict continues or intensifies.
CNN’s account, as summarized by IRNA, attributes the estimate to information the Pentagon supplied to Congress. The report does not independently establish the full cost of the war, and the available evidence does not include the Pentagon document itself or a complete accounting of all direct and indirect expenses.