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How much is Donald Trump’s war on Iran costing the United States?
A Pentagon briefing suggests the US spent $11.3 billion in just the first week of Operation Epic Fury, including billions on munitions alone. What exactly is driving these staggering war costs? Scroll down to find out.
The Pentagon, in a briefing earlier this week, revealed a shocking estimate of what President Donald Trump's war on Iran is costing the United States. According to reports, America spent at least US $11.3 billion over the first week of the war that started on February 28, with the US and Israel launching "pre-emptive" strikes against Iran under Operation Epic Fury and Operation Lion's Roar, respectively. The latest US war spending figure comes after it was reported that the US had spent $5 billion on munitions alone over the first weekend of the war in West Asia.
The 11.3 billion figure, as per an AP News report citing a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was provided to lawmakersduring a closed-door briefing. Notably, the figure did not include the entire cost of the war, and was only given as US lawmakers clamoured for more information about the conflict that on Thursday (Mar 12) entered its 13th day.
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Citing congressional aides, Reuters reports that the White House is expected to soon submit a request to Congress for additional funding for the war. Senior Trump administration officials had previously indicated that a supplemental funding request could be made soon. Some officials have reportedly said the request could be for $50 billion, while others have said that estimate seems low.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation, and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.