U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated in the Senate that the total cost of military operations against Iran has reached $37.5 billion. This figure represents an increase of approximately $8 billion from earlier estimates.
In his presentation to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegseth said this cost covers all expected expenditures through September 30, including troop salaries, operations, and maintenance expenses.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense said an "effective" blockade was imposed on Iranian ships and ports. He emphasized that Iran did not demand transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz but "opened fire on ships."
Hegseth claimed that American forces had destroyed thousands of Iranian munitions, while the Tehran administration hid some of the munitions in covered and underground facilities.
Acknowledging that Iran still retains some military capabilities, Hegseth argued that the damage inflicted on Iran’s capacity by successive U.S. strikes has brought it to its "worst condition ever."
The U.S. secretary claimed Iran was experiencing its "weakest military period in the last decade, perhaps even 47 years." Hegseth also accused Tehran of building a "terror army" to defend its aim of acquiring nuclear weapons.
Nevertheless, Hegseth added that "it is not possible to destroy every speedboat, machine gun, or cruise missile in Iran’s arsenal."