KATHMANDU: The United States has spent 43.6 billion dollars on military operations against Iran as of Sept. 3, according to the latest estimates provided by the US Central Command to lawmakers. The financial burden has risen steadily since the military campaign began on Feb. 28.

A significant portion of the total expenditure, approximately 28.1 billion dollars, has been allocated to weapons and missiles. This marks an increase of 6.4 billion dollars since the previous estimate on Aug. 1, which stood at 21.7 billion dollars. The high consumption of defensive systems, particularly Patriot and THAAD missiles, has placed significant strain on US stockpiles.

The conflict has also resulted in human casualties, with the US Department of Defense reporting 18 deaths and over 830 injuries among American service members. Furthermore, Iranian drone and missile strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of facilities at US military bases across Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan. These infrastructure losses are not fully reflected in the 43.6 billion dollar figure.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that if the current intensity of the conflict persists, monthly expenditures could exceed 3 billion dollars. To manage these rising costs, the US administration has requested a 95 billion dollar supplemental budget package and has proposed a 1.5 trillion dollar military budget for the upcoming year.

Beyond direct military spending, the conflict is impacting the global economy. Disruptions to energy and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea have raised concerns about potential inflationary pressures within the United States in the coming months.