United States

The United States, September 16, 2026. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan agency of Congress, released a report on Tuesday that fuels an already heated debate in the US: the war against Iran, opened on February 28 by Donald Trump, has cost $38.1 billion as of August 1, approximately $246 million per day, and could cost an additional $2 to $3 billion each month if operations continue. More than half of the amount, $21.7 billion, corresponds to the replacement of missiles and ammunition used; additional flight hours account for $10.4 billion and the increase in fuel prices for $2.7 billion. The report, requested by Democratic Representative Brendan Boyle, ranking member of the House Budget Committee, also estimates that two-thirds of the interceptors' stock has been consumed since June 2025, in part to defend Israel against Iranian fire. "Replenishing the stock of interceptors would likely take at least five years, even with increased production," the CBO warns.

These figures corroborate two previous counts: the $37.5 billion mentioned in July by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before Congress, and the $33.4 billion calculated by the Pentagon's Inspector General for the period from February 28 to June 30, which already pointed to strategic stock shortages and industrial bottlenecks. The same Inspector General estimated the damage to US diplomatic facilities in four Gulf countries - Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates - at $184 million under Iranian strikes.

The publication comes as Congress clashes over war powers: Republican Representative Thomas Massie filed a resolution of impeachment against Hegseth on Tuesday, accusing him of having illegally pursued operations despite House votes in June and July calling for an end to hostilities; a new vote on a war powers resolution was scheduled for the same day. Democrats, who are campaigning seven weeks before the November 3 midterms, pointing to the federal debt - over $40,000 billion - and the cost of living, are wielding the $38 billion note. The administration notes that this amount remains lower than initial projections, while conceding an expected inflation increase of 0.5 points by early 2027.