The financial toll of the ongoing conflict in Iran is staggering, with experts arguing that official estimates severely understate the true cost. While the Pentagon initially reported $29 billion in direct military spending, Harvard’s Linda Bilmes suggests the upfront costs are closer to $200 billion, factoring in troop deployments, repairs, and munitions. Moody’s Analytics puts the total cost to U.S. taxpayers and consumers at over $132 billion so far, with the price tag continuing to rise as the Department of Defense requests an additional $80 billion and warns of potential funding shortfalls. Bilmes predicts the overall cost could exceed $1 trillion, driven by the need to replace expensive munitions like Tomahawk missiles, which now cost two to three times more to replace than to produce.
Short-term costs are already visible, particularly in the depletion of critical military stockpiles and the damage to U.S. installations across the Middle East. Within the first seven weeks, the Pentagon used nearly half of its Precision Strike Missiles, THAAD interceptors, and Patriot missiles. Repairing over 228 severely damaged structures in Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE could cost $200–300 billion over the next few years. Additionally, the U.S. is likely to provide aid to allies like the UAE for reconstruction. These escalating expenses have led the Trump administration to propose a 42% increase in the defense budget to $1.5 trillion, though Bilmes doubts Congress will approve such a drastic hike without significant debate.
Beyond federal spending, American consumers are feeling the war’s impact at the gas pump and grocery store. Since February, the conflict has added an extra $61.7 billion in fuel costs, or about $471 per household, with states like Wyoming and Utah seeing price increases of over $1.30 per gallon. While gasoline prices have begun to drop from their $4.56 peak, experts warn they won’t fall below $3 until next year. Globally, the war has reduced economic growth by an estimated 0.6%, leading to job losses in Europe and extreme measures like four-day work weeks in countries such as Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The long-term economic consequences are even more concerning. The national debt has already surpassed $39 trillion, and borrowing to fund military operations will likely lead to higher costs for goods and services, wage stagnation, and increased borrowing rates for future generations. The stock market has lost an estimated $3 trillion in value, and Federal Reserve economists predict a million fewer U.S. jobs within a year due to heightened economic risks. Despite the mounting costs and public disapproval—nearly two-thirds of Americans now oppose Trump’s handling of the war—the administration continues to prioritize preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, leaving a financial burden that could last for decades.
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Forrás: https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/pentagon-said-iran-war-costs-070000270.html.