The US Department of War stated on July 21 that since the large-scale military operation against Iran was launched by the US and Israel in late February, the number of US military deaths has risen to 18, with over 100 others injured this month.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee the same day, revealing that the war against Iran has cost $37.5 billion—higher than earlier estimates. He also pushed for support for a Republican-proposed $95 billion budget plan, up from $80 billion just a month ago. Besides military spending, the plan includes agricultural aid and election law adjustments prioritized by the White House.
It’s worth noting that the $37.5 billion only accounts for direct costs like ammunition consumption and combat operations, excluding repair costs for damaged US military bases. Professor Linda Bilmes from Harvard Kennedy School predicts that the long-term total could exceed $1 trillion. For context, the US’s entire defense budget for 2025 is $895 billion.
A May 27 analysis report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows that US defense contractors will need at least three years to replenish stocks of “Tomahawk” cruise missiles, “Patriot,” and “THAAD” missile defense interceptors heavily used in the Iran conflict. The White House has repeatedly pushed automakers to shift production to missiles like “Patriot” to urgently expand ammunition capacity.
Over the past day, US Central Command completed its 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting maritime capabilities, military aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure. The goal is to further weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Central Command, Iran has attacked over 30 commercial vessels passing through this international waterway in the past three months.
In its latest counterattack, Iran struck US personnel housing and life support facilities in Jordan, equipment warehouses, as well as a large equipment depot and heavy aircraft repair hangar in Bahrain. Rebuilding just the Bahrain base alone is estimated to cost $400 million.
US core assets in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries—Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan—center on military bases and deployed equipment. The Fifth Fleet’s naval headquarters in Bahrain serves as the US’s central maritime command hub in the Middle East.
Iran’s armed forces also announced an attack on Amazon’s central data infrastructure in Bahrain, with direct and indirect losses from the business disruption estimated at tens of billions of dollars. Tehran claims the facility is a key node for US military information exchange. The attack has not yet been independently verified by Amazon or Bahraini officials.
Meanwhile, Americans are bearing other hidden costs. Blocked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz drives up oil prices, leading to increased inflation and supply chain pressures on the US economy. News outlets and social media bombardment amplifies social fear and speculation. A Morgan Stanley poll shows that 60% of voters believe the war “isn’t worth it,” and 79% think the US could get bogged down for the long haul.
Trump warned on social media Monday that Iran will pay “multiple times over” for what he called “the killing.” Over the past week, he has hinted at least twice in public that the US is about to strike Iran’s “Mount Khu” underground nuclear facility. He believes Iran has moved centrifuges to the tunnel complex at “Mount Khu.”
“Mount Khu” is located about 1.6 kilometers south of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility, housing two deep underground tunnel networks. It’s considered one of Iran’s most fortified nuclear sites. According to Israel, after a 12-day war ended in June last year, Iran moved advanced centrifuges and some high-enriched uranium stockpiles to this underground facility.
During yesterday’s Senate testimony, Hegseth also hinted that the US military has the capability to strike Iran’s “Mount Khu” nuclear facility, but whether to strike depends on “weighing the pros and cons,” and related matters are classified.