US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed Congress Tuesday evening that the latest estimate for the cost of the war with Iran is $37.5 billion.

This comes as Hegseth faced questions and protests during a Senate hearing, ahead of a discussion on a $95 billion budget package proposed by Republicans to fund the armed forces, along with providing aid to farmers and making changes to voting laws, which are among the White House's top priorities.

Hegseth presented the new estimate, which exceeds previous estimates, during his testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Protesters repeatedly interrupted his opening remarks, days after the Pentagon announced the deaths of three additional US service members in the conflict, raising the death toll to 17, while more than 100 others have been wounded since early July.

Hegseth said the additional funding earmarked for the war represents an 'urgent and necessary funding boost,' and that alongside the $1.5 trillion defense budget proposed by President Donald Trump, it constitutes a historic investment in the armed forces.

He added in his Senate testimony: 'Without this money, we will face a critical shortfall.'

Hegseth warned senators that troop training would have to be scaled back if the Pentagon does not receive the additional $67 billion in funding it is requesting from Congress.

He expressed concerns about military pay and funding for weapons used to counter drones and hostile missiles.