▲ The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington deployed in the Arabian Sea
The United States has spent approximately $38 billion (about 52 trillion won) on the conflict with Iran so far, and could incur additional costs of up to $3 billion (about 4.1 trillion won) per month if the conflict continues, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The CBO also pointed out that the massive use of interceptor missiles by the U.S. during the Iran conflict could lead to inventory shortages lasting for years, which could pose a serious problem in the event of a conflict with countries possessing large arsenals of ballistic and cruise missiles, such as China.
In a report released on the 15th (local time), the CBO, a nonpartisan budget analysis agency of the U.S. Congress, estimated the U.S. Department of Defense spending resulting from the armed conflict with Iran at approximately $38 billion as of August 1.
This includes the cost of replacing ammunition consumed and equipment lost in combat, increased flight hours, other operations-related expenses, and fuel costs.
It excludes costs borne by other departments, such as increased fuel costs for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) driven by rising energy prices, or costs already reflected in the federal budget, such as the basic operating expenses of troops deployed to combat.
This is similar to the $37.5 billion (about 51 trillion won) in Iran conflict-related costs previously cited by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July.
The CBO projected that Department of Defense expenditures will continue to rise as the conflict persists.
It estimated that if fighting continues at a low intensity like in May and June, it will add $2 billion (about 2.7 trillion won) per month, while an escalation to July levels would add $3 billion per month.
The CBO noted that monthly costs could grow even larger if fighting intensifies further.
However, it added that considerable uncertainty surrounds this cost estimate because the Department of Defense did not respond to requests for data.
The CBO projected that U.S. inventory of related weapons will remain depleted for years due to the massive consumption of missile defense interceptors in military operations against Iran.
Although the Department of Defense does not disclose the size of its ammunition stockpile, based on spending details for missile defense interceptors and procurement volumes to date, the U.S. is estimated to have depleted between half and up to two-thirds of its relevant inventory since June 2025.
The CBO projected that it would take the U.S. Department of Defense at least five years to replenish its interceptor missile inventory.
"Such inventory shortages could become particularly acute in the event of a conflict with an adversary possessing large arsenals of ballistic and cruise missiles," it stated.
It also explained that China possesses such missile capabilities, and these missiles could play a major role in the event of a military conflict surrounding Taiwan.
Additionally, the CBO analyzed that the rise in energy prices caused by the conflict with Iran has exerted significant pressure on U.S. inflation.
It noted that reduced oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz drove up energy prices, which in turn increased the prices of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, and indirectly affected the prices of other goods and services through rising transportation costs.
Consequently, the CBO estimated that the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price inflation rate for the first quarter of next year will be 0.5 percentage points higher than previously projected in February.
It also projected that the core PCE price inflation rate, excluding food and energy, will rise 0.3 percentage points higher than previous forecasts.
Representative Brendan Boyle (Pennsylvania), the Democratic ranking member of the House Budget Committee who requested the report, criticized, "President Trump and Republicans have spent years saying we cannot afford to support American families, but apparently they can find tens of billions of dollars, perhaps much more, for a reckless war that forces Americans to pay the price."
(Photo: U.S. Central Command X account, AP, Yonhap News)
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