The Cost of War with Iran

Reporting cited here

1. documented

   At Trump's order, U.S. Central Command struck Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities with cruise missiles and fourteen GBU-57 bombs.

   Table 4, estimated FY2025 costs for Operation Midnight Hammer and related defenses

   The Iran Reversal — The record · The record

2. reported

   Bilmes describes Trump's Operation Rough Rider campaign and his May 6, 2025 announcement suspending US air operations in Yemen, as well as the June 2025 Midnight Hammer strikes.

   Pages 8 and 14–15, Rough Rider ceasefire and Midnight Hammer discussion

   Brown estimates $9.65–12.07 billion for Yemen and wider Middle East operations in 2023–2025 · Attributed estimate; period and accounting scope stated in each measure

3. estimate

   Brown University's Costs of War project estimated $2.038502 billion to $2.25522 billion in FY2025 U.S. costs for the Midnight Hammer strike, preparations, defense of Al Udeid against retaliation, and THAAD interceptors used to defend Israel; the U.S. public is the payer and bears the fiscal cost, the operational protection flows to U.S. personnel at Al Udeid and to Israel, and the source does not allocate the estimate to named contractors or identify personal gain to Trump.

   Table 4 and cost-driver notes

   Costs of War estimates a $2.04–$2.26 billion linked U.S. operation and defense cost · Retrospective cost estimate