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U.S. military operations against Iran have cost an estimated $43.6 billion through Sept. 3, according to a U.S. Central Command assessment reviewed by congressional officials and reported by The Washington Post.
The figure marks a sharp increase from the Pentagon’s previous public estimate of $37.5 billion and includes $11.2 billion in additional operational costs, $28.1 billion to replace munitions used during the conflict and $4.3 billion to replace military equipment lost in operations.
The Washington Post said the estimate does not include damage to U.S. bases across the Persian Gulf.
The report also said more U.S. service members may have died during the Iran war than the Pentagon has publicly disclosed.
Five U.S. officials told the newspaper that at least 22 service members had died, while a sixth put the figure at 23 since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
The Pentagon’s public Defense Casualty Analysis System listed 18 military deaths as of Friday, including fatalities from hostile and nonhostile action. The Post said some of the additional deaths were not directly tied to combat but involved U.S. personnel serving in the Middle East during the conflict.
Three U.S. contractors based in the region have also died since operations began, according to one official cited by the newspaper.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected the report, calling it “a complete lie” and accusing The Washington Post of publishing false information.
The Pentagon’s public casualty database says more than 820 U.S. service members have been wounded in action since the conflict began, including personnel who suffered traumatic brain injuries during Iranian strikes on U.S. bases.
The war has also strained U.S. precision-weapons stockpiles, damaged military installations across the Persian Gulf, and affected global energy markets after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.
The Washington Post previously reported that senior U.S. military officials had warned Hegseth that prolonged large-scale operations against Iran were unsustainable and could weaken the military’s ability to respond to threats elsewhere.
Rep. Jason Crow and 11 other House Democrats, all military veterans, introduced legislation Friday aimed at preventing the Pentagon from manipulating government casualty data.
Crow accused Hegseth of hiding the human toll of the war and said service members and their families deserved accurate casualty reporting and full benefits.
The Pentagon’s handling of casualty figures has already drawn scrutiny after four combat deaths were temporarily excluded from its public database earlier in the conflict.
The administration later reclassified renewed hostilities with Iran under “Overseas Operations” rather than Operation Epic Fury, its name for the Iran war.
Political pressure has also grown in Congress. Seven Republican lawmakers joined Democrats this week to pass a largely symbolic measure aimed at ending the war, while Republican Rep. Thomas Massie moved to force a House vote on impeaching Hegseth over allegations that he pursued hostilities without congressional authorization.
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