The Iran War Is Reportedly Bleeding The Pentagon Dry

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The Iran War Is Reportedly Bleeding The Pentagon Dry

If the expenses from the Iran War continue to grow, the Pentagon could run out of operational funds during the summer unless Congress passes an emergency wartime spending bill.

The Pentagon needs $80 billion to cover expenses from the Iran War and other expenses, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. The details of the funding constraints were reportedly unveiled by Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg during phone calls with lawmakers.

The $80 billion figure is not yet a formal supplemental request under Congressional consideration. Any such request would first need approval from the White House Office of Management and Budget before being sent to Capitol Hill. (RELATED: Swamp’s New Draft Defense Bill Would Open Up Billion-Dollar Taxpayer Purse For Foreign Countries)

A large plume of smoke rises over Tehran after explosions were reported in the city during the night on March 28, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Getty Images)

“… we think it [spending on the Iran War] is closer to 29 [billion dollars],” Department of War Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer Jules W. Hurst III said during a May 12 House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing. That estimate, however, has not been publicly updated, and the real cost is likely much higher.

The White House, the Office of Management and Budget, the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee, the House GOP press office, and the House Armed Services Committee Majority Staff did not immediately respond to a Daily Caller News Foundation request for comment. The Department of War declined to comment.

More For Israel

Notably, the Israel Defense Forces used fewer munitions in its own defense than the U.S. expended to protect the State of Israel during the conflict.

The U.S. military fired more than 200 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors defending Israel during Operation Epic Fury, roughly half of the Pentagon’s total inventory, The Washington Post reported, citing War Department assessments and U.S. officials granted anonymity to discuss national security matters. Israel, by contrast, fired fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and about 90 David’s Sling interceptors, the outlet reported.

One U.S. government official told the Post the U.S. fired roughly 120 more interceptors than Israel and engaged twice as many Iranian missiles.

Israeli army Merkava main battle tanks are positioned in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel near the border with southern Lebanon on March 26, 2026. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

As the U.S. continues to expend its munitions stockpiles to defend Israel, Congressional legislators are proposing additional funding for Israel and the Israel Defense Forces.

The , unveiled by Republican House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and Democratic Ranking Member Adam Smith, contained $670 million in potential outlays that would benefit Tel Aviv. The final enacted NDAA from 2026, for comparison, contained roughly $500 million for Israel.

The proposed 2027 total of $670 million includes $20 million for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, $300 million for Israeli cooperative programs, $150 million for Arrow 3 Upper Tier Systems, $100 million for the Israel Counter UXS Program, and $100 million for the Israel Subterranean Cooperation.

Over $1 Trillion Proposed

The proposed 2027 National Defense Authorization Act which passed the House Armed Services Committee on June 4 calls for $1.15 trillion in defense spending.

The committee passed the by a 44-12 vote. The Act had over 900 amendments proposed as it moved through Congress, according to the House Armed Services Committee.

The bill, however, must still pass the full House, clear the Senate, be reconciled into a final version approved by both chambers, and then either be signed by the president or be enacted by overriding a presidential veto in order to become a law.

The Trump administration did not seek congressional authorization for the Iran War, which began when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.

Running Out Of Rockets

The Iran War has not only been a draw on the Department of War’s budget, but also critical munitions stockpiles. Key quantities of Patriot interceptor missiles and THAAD have been particularly affected since the war began.

The U.S. military has used somewhere between 45% and 61% of its Patriot missiles since the Iran War began, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report. Between 1,060 and 1,430 of the 2,330 Patriot missiles in the stockpile have reportedly been expended.

Likewise, between 52% and 80% of the THAAD munitions stockpiles have already been expended during the Iran War, according to the CSIS report, which estimates between 190 and 290 of the 360 THAAD munitions in the stockpile have been depleted.

It can take up to 53 months for THAAD interceptors to be produced, according to CSIS, while Patriot interceptors have an average delivery time of 42 months.

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