War on Iran has cost the US $37.5 billion
Amid rising Middle Eastern tensions, the cost of the US-Israeli war on Iran has been estimated at $37.5 billion so far, according to Al Jazeera and agencies on July 21st.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed this figure during a July 21st Senate appropriations committee hearing.
Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine were questioned about their request for a $1.5 trillion defence budget, including $70 billion for the war on Iran.
President Donald Trump’s administration had previously estimated the cost at $29 billion in May; the latest estimate is about $8 billion higher.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray questioned the budget request, which also includes funding requests for the National Guard deployment in Washington, DC, US operations against alleged drug smugglers in the Caribbean, and military patrols at the US border.
Murray argued that Hegseth’s “request does not make a lot of sense.”
These figures come amid growing bipartisan opposition to US military aid to Israel over concerns about complicity in war crimes amid Israel’s wars on Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has received US military and economic support worth over $300 billion.
In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for reducing Israel’s reliance on foreign aid in favour of developing a stronger domestic defence industry.
Accounting for 53% of Israel’s total conventional arms imports since 2023, the US is Israel’s largest arms supplier; Germany covers the remaining 47%.
Following the start of the war on Iran on February 28th, the US approved a $151.8 million munitions sale to Israel, forgoing the mandatory Congressional Review required for large arms sales.
Despite concerns about complicity in war crimes, nations including Britain, France, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Denmark have sought defence cooperation with Israel.
Israel’s defence ties are not limited to the US and Europe, as Morocco, India and Thailand have also established defence cooperation with Israel since 2023.
On June 2nd, Israel’s Defence Ministry announced that arms exports had reached “a record high” in 2025, with Europe being the largest purchaser, accounting for 36% of total imports.
Maghrebi has contacted the US Department of War for comment on Hegseth’s request for a $1.5 trillion defence budget, but has not received a response at the time of publication.
Al Jazeera and agencies, Maghrebi.org
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