According to sources, the Pentagon’s estimate of $25 billion for the war with Iran is understated and does not include the cost of repairing damage to US bases in the Middle East. This was reported by CNN citing people familiar with the matter.

One source said the real cost could reach $40–50 billion when accounting for rebuilding military facilities and replacing destroyed equipment.

According to CNN, Iranian airstrikes in the first 48 hours of the conflict caused significant damage to at least nine US military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the UAE, and Qatar. Several key radar systems and other equipment were also reportedly destroyed, including a THAAD missile defense radar in Jordan and similar systems at two locations in the UAE. A US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft was also destroyed in a strike on an airbase in Saudi Arabia.

Pentagon official Jules Hurst told lawmakers that most of the reported $25 billion had been spent on munitions. At the same time, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not clarify whether the estimate includes the cost of repairing damaged bases.

Some lawmakers questioned the figure. Representative Ro Khanna described the $25 billion estimate as unfounded. Earlier, Pentagon officials told Congress that the war cost about $11 billion in just the first six days. The department has also asked the White House to approve a request for more than $200 billion in additional military funding for the ongoing war.

Hurst noted that there is still no final assessment of damage to US facilities abroad, as it depends on decisions about rebuilding and future construction. These costs are not reflected in the Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027, partly because the department is still determining future infrastructure plans. He added that US partners may also contribute to reconstruction, which further complicates cost estimates.

Officials said the proposed $1.5 trillion budget would increase Pentagon funding by 42%.