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A source confirmed to AP, that the request has been sent to the White House.
On March 12, The Guardian reported that the Pentagon told U.S. lawmakers that the first six days of Operation Epic Fury (the codename for the war in Iran) had cost $11.3 billion.
However, the number was reported to be an estimate, and some analysts suggest it could be even higher.
Operation Epic Fury was launched on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. In response, Iran has more or less closed the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital transit route for approximately 20% of the global oil trade, resulting in oil prices skyrocketing.
But the war is not over yet, and the price tag is about to rise if the Pentagon gets what it wants.
An additional $200 billion
$200 billion. 200,000,000,000 written out.
A number so large that it is borderline impossible to wrap your head around.
As the war in Iran nears the three-week mark, that is the amount of money the Pentagon is asking for, The Washington Post reports.
And this is on top of the money that has already been spent on the operation.
Request sent to the White House
A source confirmed to AP News that the Department of Defense has sent the request, but it is unclear whether it has been transmitted to Congress for consideration.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked about the $200 billion request, and although he did not directly confirm the number, AP News cites him as saying:
“It takes money to kill bad guys.”
Sources: The Washington Post, AP News, The Guardian
