The United States reportedly spent more than $11.3 billion during the first six days of its war with Iran, according to a report presented to American lawmakers during a Pentagon briefing.
The New York Times disclosed this information in a report that highlighted the rapid pace at which the conflict is consuming American weapons and financial resources.
According to the newspaper, which cited unnamed sources familiar with Tuesday’s closed-door briefing, members of Congress were informed that the amount does not include several expenses linked to the military buildup that preceded the strikes. This means the actual cost of the first week of the war could rise significantly.
Earlier briefings to Congress by defence officials indicated that about $5.6 billion worth of munitions were used within the first two days of combat. Reports in the US media described the rate of spending as far higher than earlier public estimates.
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies, an independent think tank based in Washington, also assessed the financial impact of the military campaign. The organisation estimated that the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury cost about $3.7 billion, which equals more than $891 million per day.
The think tank added that $3.5 billion of this amount had not been included in the original budget.
Meanwhile, the Iran War Cost Tracker website, which monitors the financial cost of the conflict in real time, indicated that the total spending had exceeded $17 billion as of about 08:00 GMT on Thursday.
The website estimates that the United States is currently spending around $1 billion daily on the war. However, it also noted that the real cost of the conflict could be higher because the figures do not include long-term expenses such as healthcare for military veterans.
AFP
