The war with Iran is costing the United States roughly $1 billion to more than $1.5 billion every day, according to early government estimates.
In closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill, defense officials estimated that U.S. operations in the opening days of the Iran War have already consumed at least $11.3 billion in munitions, fuel, deployment and support costs, according to USA Today and CBS News. The figure does not include the weeks of buildup that preceded the first strikes, including the rush deployment of aircraft carrier strike groups, bomber task forces and thousands of additional troops to the region.
An analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that the first 100 hours of the air campaign cost about $3.7 billion, averaging roughly 891 million dollars per day.
According to CSIS, only about $178 million of the $196 million in operational and support costs for the first 100 hours is already budgeted, leaving roughly $3.5 billion in unplanned expenses when munitions replenishment and battle damage are included. The analysis estimates about $3.1 billion will be needed to restock more than 2,000 munitions fired in that period, none of which is currently funded, and another $350 million to replace combat losses and repair damaged infrastructure.
CSIS based its figures on limited public data from the Defense Department, including daily fact sheets listing participating units and numbers of targets struck, as well as statements from senior commanders overseeing the campaign. To fill in gaps, the analysts drew on Congressional Budget Office estimates for operating costs of aircraft, ships and ground units, adjusting for inflation and applying a 10 percent premium to account for higher sortie rates, extended deployments and combat‑related personnel expenses.
Air operations alone accounted for an estimated $125 million in the first 100 hours, with costs projected to grow by at least $30 million for each additional day at current intensity, CSIS found. About 200 U.S. fighter aircraft are flying in the campaign, backed by tankers, bombers and unmanned systems.
At sea, the surge of U.S. naval power into the region cost an estimated $64.5 million to operate during the first 100 hours, with an additional $15.4 million accruing each day the fleet continues at its current tempo.
CSIS estimates about $7 million in operating costs for ground troops in the first 100 hours and roughly $1.6 million per additional day.
The largest single driver of cost is munitions. CSIS estimates that replenishing offensive strike weapons alone will total about $1.5 billion at the 100‑hour mark, after U.S. forces “struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions,” according to U.S. Central Command. Based on past campaigns, the analysis projects roughly 2,600 munitions used in that period, applying a 1.3‑to‑1 ratio of munitions to targets seen in NATO’s 2011 Libya operation, when coalition forces relied exclusively on precision weapons.
Air‑defense interceptors are another major cost. CSIS estimates U.S. forces have expended about $1.7 billion worth of missile‑defense munitions in the first 100 hours, though the true figure could range from $1.2 billion to $3.7 billion given the lack of detailed Pentagon data on specific systems used. Iran has launched roughly 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones as of March 4, according to Adm. Brad Cooper, the U.S. Central Command chief, forcing U.S. and allied units to engage a mix of high‑speed missiles.
CSIS concludes that regional allies have absorbed a substantial share of the defensive burden, helping preserve U.S. stockpiles. Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates collectively reported intercepting about 500 cruise and ballistic missiles and 1,300 drones by March 3.
Even with a projected decline in daily costs, CSIS argues that the Pentagon will almost certainly need to seek more money from Congress to avoid deep internal cuts to other programs.