# Pentagon: Iran war has cost $29 billion as gas prices surge  
**Published:** 2026-05-12T22:35:34.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/repub/cost-of-iran-war-rises-to-29b-as-us-gas-prices-spike/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/pentagon-iran-war-has-cost-29-billion-as-gas-prices-surge

The cost of [the ongoing U.S. military operation in Iran has reached $29 billion](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/repub/cost-of-iran-war-rises-to-29b-as-us-gas-prices-spike/), according to Pentagon officials who testified before House and Senate appropriators Tuesday as fuel prices continue to hammer American consumers. The figure represents a $4 billion increase from estimates provided just two weeks earlier.

Pentagon acting comptroller Jules Hurst III said the estimated cost is now $29 billion due to updated repair and replacement equipment costs and operational expenses for troops stationed in the theater. However, the price tag does not include the cost to repair damaged air bases and other U.S. outposts in the region.

The testimony came as lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration over the war's economic fallout. Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global trade, and gasoline prices have soared since the U.S. joined Israel in launching strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, with the protracted conflict leading to a near standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's petroleum crossed prior to the war.

The latest inflation figures released Tuesday showed inflation reaching 3.8% over one year ago, with fuel and energy costs largely driving the increase, and gasoline up 28.4% compared to last year. Rep. Betty McCollum, a Minnesota Democrat, criticized the Pentagon for lacking "sufficient transparency with gas prices and inflation numbers increasing," saying the administration is not addressing the cost of living crisis facing Americans.

Senator Jack Reed, D-R.I., echoed the concerns, noting that the deficit is increasing dramatically and inflation just hit 3.8%. Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray, D-Wash., questioned whether the $29 billion estimate was artificially low, calling it "suspiciously low." The price tag does not include damage to U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

Iran launched retaliatory strikes in March on multiple American installations in the region, including a strike on a base in Kuwait that killed six U.S. troops. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to provide details on the extent of damage to U.S. assets but defended the operation, arguing the cost is justified by preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

On the matter of congressional authorization, Hegseth told lawmakers that congressional authorization is not required for the military operation against Iran, arguing that President Trump has sufficient executive authority to take whatever action he chooses. Efforts to pass a War Powers Resolution to rein in Trump's military operations in Iran have failed multiple times in the Republican-led Senate and House, though a vote is possible this week in the House on a bipartisan War Powers Resolution.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/repub/cost-of-iran-war-rises-to-29b-as-us-gas-prices-spike/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/repub/cost-of-iran-war-rises-to-29b-as-us-gas-prices-spike/.