Pentagon tells Congress Iran war cost at least $42B

The Pentagon told Congress last month that the cost of the Iran war has now climbed to more than $42 billion — a $4.5 billion increase to the most recent public estimate from the Defense Department more than six months into the conflict. 

A congressional aide told The Hill on Monday that the Defense officials provided the updated cost estimate to congressional defense committees on Aug. 13. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on how much the cost has increased in the ensuing month. 

The figure marks the first official update from the administration on the war since July, when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate during a hearing that month that the estimated cost of the conflict was $37.5 billion.