A new analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies says the U.S. campaign against Iran cost the American defense establishment about $40 billion over 39 days of fighting. The estimate, reported by CNN, includes munitions, destroyed equipment, and damage to bases, but not operating costs already built into the Pentagon’s 2026 budget, which exceeds $1 trillion.
The biggest expense was weapons, at roughly $26 billion. Long-range missiles were especially costly, with U.S. Tomahawk missiles priced at about $2.5 million each and Washington reportedly firing around 1,000 of them. The first 100 hours of the war alone cost an estimated $3.7 billion, while the first 12 days reached about $17 billion.
CNN also reported that the Pentagon has asked for an additional $80 billion in funding, including about $20 billion for immediate needs created by the war. At the same time, the Trump administration is meeting with defense contractors and pressing them to speed up production of the munitions that were depleted during the campaign.
The article says Iran, despite suffering severe economic damage, is already seeing a sharp rebound in oil exports after sanctions tied to the deal with the United States were lifted. TankerTrackers said Iran exported 36 million barrels in the past nine days, a surge of more than 1,000% from the roughly 250,000 barrels a day it had been moving during the U.S. blockade. With restrictions removed, Iran is expected to earn billions more each month. Iran Open Data estimates sanctions cost the country an average of $37 billion a year, while a rough calculation based on recent prices puts oil revenue at about $2.7 billion in the last nine days.
