- US is spending $10,300 (about Rs 9.8 lakh) every second in its war on Iran, according to a report by SIPRI
- Munitions and missiles account for largest share, costing around $320 million per day (around Rs 3,040 crore)
- Intelligence and cyber operations cost approximately $45 million per day (around Rs 427.5 crore)
The United States is spending $10,300 (about Rs 9.8 lakh) every second in its war on Iran, research has found. Now in its 31st day, the US-Israeli war has cost American taxpayers $27.68 billion (around Rs 2.63 lakh crore), based on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The numbers continue to climb as the unprovoked war, which began on February 28, shows no signs of ending.
Under President Donald Trump, the US is estimated to spend roughly $890 million (about Rs 8,455 crore) per day on the war. This daily expenditure covers munitions, air operations, naval deployments, missile defence, intelligence, and logistics, SIPRI's report revealed.
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Where The War Dollars Are Going
- Munitions and missiles account for the largest share, costing approximately $320 million per day (around Rs 3,040 crore), or 36% of the total. This includes Tomahawk cruise missiles, JDAM bombs, and other precision-guided munitions.
- Air operations are estimated at $245 million per day (about Rs 2,327.5 crore), representing 27.5% of daily spending. These costs cover fighter sorties, bomber runs, aerial refuelling missions, and reconnaissance operations.
- Naval operations consume roughly $155 million per day (around Rs 1,472.5 crore). This includes the deployment of carrier strike groups, destroyers, and submarines.
- Missile defence systems, such as THAAD, Patriot batteries, and Aegis BMD intercepts, account for about $95 million per day (Rs 902.5 crore), or 10.7% of the daily expenditure.
- Intelligence and cyber operations cost approximately $45 million per day (around Rs 427.5 crore).
- This includes ISR platforms, satellite imagery, and cyber operations.
- Personnel and logistics account for about $30 million per day (around Rs 285 crore).
Will Trump Ask Arab States To Pay?
The White House on Monday indicated that Trump might ask Arab nations to help shoulder the cost of the war.
Asked whether Arab states should contribute, as they did during the 1990 Gulf War, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “I think it's something the president would be quite interested in calling them to do. I won't get ahead of him on that, but certainly it's an idea that I know that he has, and something that I think you'll hear more from him on.”
During the Gulf War, countries in the region and coalition members, including Germany and Japan, collectively contributed $54 billion ($134 billion today) to offset US military costs. This time, though, the US and Israel have taken unilateral action against Iran without involving allies or regional partners.
Iran has set US compensation for war damages as a condition for negotiations and has carried out missile and drone attacks across US bases in the Middle East in retaliation.
