The United States’ war in Iran has ​cost 25 billion dollars so far, a senior Pentagon official said, providing the first official estimate of the military’s ‌price tag for the conflict.

Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of the ​comptroller, told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that most of that money was for munitions.

Hurst did not detail ​what that cost estimate included and whether it took into account the projected costs of rebuilding and repairing ⁠base infrastructure in the Middle East damaged in the conflict.

Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, responded to ​Hurst: “I’m glad you answered that question. Because we’ve been asking for a hell of a long time, and no one’s given us the ​number.”

Earlier, in March President Donald Trump’s administration estimated that the first six days of the war had cost the United States at ​least 11.3 billion dollars.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the cost was justified given the U.S. goal of ensuring Iran will ​not have a nuclear weapon.

“What would you pay to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear bomb? What would you pay?” Hegseth asked.

The United States started carrying out strikes against Iran on February 28, and the two sides are currently maintaining a fragile ​ceasefire.

The Pentagon has poured tens of ​thousands of additional forces into ⁠the Middle East, including keeping three aircraft carriers in the region. (Reuters/NAN)