The US Pentagon is facing a significant funding shortfall as the costs associated with the war in Iran have reached $151 billion.

According to a report from The Daily Telegraph in Britain, the United States could have spent at least $151.3 billion on the conflict with Iran since it began. Linda Bilmes, a professor at Harvard University, stated that the figure of $37.5 billion cited by Pete Hegseth, a former Pentagon official, is merely the tip of the iceberg. She noted that most members of the US Congress do not take this number seriously.

The expert pointed out that the war in Afghanistan lasted 19 years and 10 months. Over that time, America spent $2.26 trillion on military operations. In just the first five months of that conflict, the cost reached $47 billion, she clarified.

On July 21, The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon faced a severe budget shortfall due to the war with Iran. Some critically important spending lines might go unfunded in the coming weeks. Parts of the 2026 budget covering current Navy and Air Force operations could run dry by late July.

Iran previously released its own tally for damages suffered by the United States during fifteen days of fighting. The numbers keep rising, leaving many to wonder how long this war can truly last before money runs out completely.