Pentagon report highlights the cost of the war with Iran: $33.4 billion in spending and declining ammunition reserves

A new report by the inspector general of the Department of Defense paints a more concerning picture than President Donald Trump’s public statements about the state of U.S. ammunition reserves. The document identifies significant shortfalls in strategic stocks and difficulties in quickly replacing weapons that have been used.

Between February 28 and June 30, the United States spent a total of $33.4 billion on the war. Of that amount, $3.7 billion was related to lost military equipment, while $7.4 billion was used for other conflict-related expenses.

According to the report, the U.S. Armed Forces spent more than $22 billion on munitions between February and June alone. This high level of use led to a “shortage of strategic stocks,” the document says.

The assessment, one of the few independent analyses of the U.S. arsenal, also warns of “constraints in the industrial base.” These problems make it difficult to rapidly increase production and restore reserves to their previous levels.

In the confrontation with Iran, the U.S. military made extensive use of long-range weapons, as well as air-defense and missile-defense systems to stop Iranian attacks.

An analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published at the end of July, had highlighted a significant depletion of reserves for several important interceptor missiles, including Patriot and THAAD. In some cases, the available quantity had fallen by more than 50%.

The inspector general’s document does not specify the number of weapons remaining in U.S. arsenals. However, it confirms that reserves have declined and that both their production and replenishment are facing serious problems.

The Pentagon has begun efforts to speed up procurement procedures and production processes, with the aim of filling the gaps and preserving the ability to respond rapidly to a potential crisis.

Among the equipment lost during the conflict were four F-15E fighter jets, one F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and 30 MQ-9 unmanned aircraft. The report says these assets were destroyed under “various circumstances.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and his administration have repeatedly denied claims that U.S. ammunition reserves have been depleted or fallen to dangerous levels.

On August 4, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described these reports as “untrue.” On September 3, via Truth Social, Trump declared that the United States possessed “almost unlimited” quantities of munitions and that the country was continuing to build reserves and prepare “for every eventuality.”

However, the report’s conclusions contradict this version, particularly regarding the military’s ability to replace, in a timely manner, the ammunition consumed during the war.

At the start of the conflict, Trump had repeatedly stated that it would end within a few weeks. More recently, however, he has suggested that the fighting could continue until “immediately after” the U.S. midterm elections, which are held in November.

The war does not enjoy broad support among the American public. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published at the beginning of September showed that only 23% of Americans believe the United States is in a more favorable position to confront Iran than it was before the conflict began. Among Republicans, that figure is around 50%.

The report has reopened the debate over the war’s real consequences, including not only its financial cost but also its impact on the readiness of the U.S. military. Despite these findings, the White House continues to insist that U.S. reserves are sufficient.