Washington / Anatolia

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday evening that the cost of the ongoing war with Iran has so far reached $37.5 billion.

This came during a hearing before the US Senate Appropriations Committee, with the participation of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Keen and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, to discuss the US administration's request for additional appropriations for the Department of Defense (the Pentagon).

Hegseth stated that the United States lives in a 'dangerous world' requiring additional resources for the US military, adding that the request for additional funding for fiscal year 2026 aims to meet the Pentagon's urgent needs.

He said the United States needs immediate investments in technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and space, warning that delays in these areas could allow adversaries to surpass Washington.

In response to a question from Democratic Senator Dick Durbin about the cost of the war with Iran, Hegseth replied: 'As of today, it has reached $37 billion and 500 million.'

He added that failing to approve the required funding could lead to delays in paying military salaries and threaten the US military's ability to replenish its equipment and ammunition and continue its military operations without interruption.

** Protests inside the Senate

The session witnessed anti-war protests, as demonstrators interrupted Hegseth's opening remarks four times before being removed from the hall, with chants heard saying: 'Stop bombing innocent children.'

** Criticism of Trump administration

For her part, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Patty Murray criticized President Donald Trump's administration, considering that the war on Iran came 'by the administration's own decision' without obtaining Congress approval.

Murray said Trump did not provide the American people with a convincing justification for the war, and described its cost as 'catastrophic,' pointing to casualties among US soldiers.

She added: 'The president says there is no adequate budget for healthcare, childcare, or housing, but he always finds the necessary funds to start a new war.'

For about two weeks, the United States has been launching waves of strikes on Iran, while the latter responds with attacks on military bases, facilities, and sites it says are linked to Washington in regional countries.

The escalation comes despite Washington and Tehran signing a memorandum of understanding last June that included a cessation of hostilities that began on February 28 last year, and launching negotiations to reach a broader agreement.

But Trump announced on July 8 of this month the end of the ceasefire after tankers in the Strait of Hormuz were attacked, which Washington accused Tehran of being behind, prompting the United States to resume its strikes inside Iran.

Washington demands Tehran stop attacking ships and 'ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,' while Iran insists on subjecting the passage of ships to a mechanism it regulates via the waterway overlooking its coast, exacerbating concerns about disruption of oil and gas exports from the region.

Washington supports the passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz on a route different from that set by Iran, which Tehran rejects, asserting that it targets any ship that does not coordinate with it before crossing this strategic strait for global energy supplies.