Pentagon Report: Iran War Cost $33.4 Billion, Dozens of Aircraft Lost

A Pentagon inspector general report covering February 28 to June 30 estimates the Iran conflict, designated Operation Epic Fury, cost $33.4 billion. Munitions expenditures accounted for $22.3 billion, while equipment losses reached $3.7 billion and other costs added $7.4 billion.

Dozens of U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged, including four F-15E fighters, one F-35A, seven KC-135 tankers, and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones. Iranian strikes also damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures at bases across eight countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar.

“We're standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face.”

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the war's direct cost at $38 billion through August 1, projecting a monthly burn rate of $2 billion to $3 billion. CBO warned that interceptor inventories — Patriot, THAAD, and Standard Missiles — have fallen by half to two-thirds since June 2025, creating a shortfall lasting several years.

CSIS analysis showed Patriot interceptors dropped from 2,330 to fewer than 850 by late July, while THAAD stockpiles fell from 452 to roughly 250. The Army's 2027 budget requests $12.2 billion for Patriot missiles and $11.4 billion for THAAD, roughly nine times prior-year levels.

President Trump dismissed shortage concerns, claiming "virtually unlimited" ammunition supplies. Admiral Brad Cooper echoed that stance, telling "60 Minutes" he was "not concerned at all." The CBO noted the Defense Department did not respond to its information requests.

Service members provided CBS images showing a destroyed jet, shredded tents, and wrecked trailers at Prince Sultan Air Base and Kuwaiti facilities. One member described troops as "standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face."