US completes 11th night of strikes on Iran; Pentagon says war costs $37.5B, seeks $90B more

Summary

WORLD Iranian state media reported US air strikes across multiple provinces, hitting Kabudarahang County in Hamadan province in west-central Iran. The US military said it has completed its 11th consecutive night of air strikes on Iran, targeting military operations centres, maritime assets, aircraft hangars, drone storage, and logistics infrastructure. CENTCOM said the strikes aim to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the strait. "The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation," it said. Despite the attacks, CENTCOM stated the Strait “remains open” and that since early May, US forces have helped facilitate the transit of about 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil. Trump had threatened to expand strikes to Iranian energy plants, bridges, and the underground "Pickaxe Mountain" nuclear site, and to send ground troops to seize Kharg Island oil hub. He said the US would target the mountain facility "pretty soon." Iranian state media reported US air strikes across multiple provinces, hitting Kabudarahang County in Hamadan province in west-central Iran. The deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchestan also confirmed attacks on the southeastern cities of Chabahar and Konarak, saying "the situation is under control." Other reports from Fars news agency said US forces struck a military site on the outskirts of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, and missile attacks targeted areas near Behbahan and Omidiyeh in southwestern Khuzestan province. The Revolutionary Guard said, "the operation to punish the aggressor continues." Further, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the cost of the war on Iran has reached $37.5bn and tells Congress the Pentagon needs $90bn in additional funding. The $37.5 billion request covers costs of the Iran conflict through September 30, though it’s unclear how the Pentagon calculated the figure. A Reuters source said the first six days of the war alone cost at least $11.3 billion. Hegseth warned military training and maintenance would be cut without urgent funding, and urged passage of both a supplemental request and a $1.5 trillion budget for 2027. The funding is to operate in the Strait of Hormuz, bring down US energy prices, and deter Russia and China, he said while stressing the need for speed, scale, autonomy and AI in military operations. While testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hegseth said the US has reimposed an "effectively impenetrable" blockade on Iran. He said Iran is at its weakest military point in 47 years after US strikes degraded its missile capabilities and operations in the Strait of Hormuz.