Pentagon Seeks White House Approval for Over USD200B

(MENAFN) The Pentagon has reportedly requested that the White House approve a funding package exceeding $200 billion, which would then be submitted to Congress to support ongoing military operations in Iran, according to reports citing a senior administration official.

Reports indicate that the proposed funding is intended to sustain the military campaign that began on February 28 and to increase the production of weapons being used in the conflict, based on information from individuals familiar with the discussions.

According to reports, the Defense Department has put forward several funding proposals over the past two weeks, although some officials within the White House have expressed doubts about whether the request has “a realistic shot of being approved in Congress.”

The Pentagon has not provided an immediate response to requests for comment.

The proposed funding level significantly exceeds earlier publicly discussed estimates of the war’s financial cost. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett stated that more than $12 billion had been spent during the first two weeks of the campaign, while other reports referencing a Pentagon briefing estimated the cost at over $11.3 billion within the first six days.

At the outset of the campaign, officials expressed confidence in existing military resources. Hassett noted that the US had "the weapons already in place" and suggested that a supplemental congressional budget might not be necessary.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also rejected concerns regarding ammunition shortages, asserting that the US maintains a "nearly unlimited stockpile" of precision-guided munitions.

Reports indicate that the US-Israeli strikes on Iran have resulted in approximately 1,300 deaths, including senior figures such as the then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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