US military campaign against Iran costs USD 33 billion; takes heavy toll on aircraft diplomatic facilities

The US military campaign against Iran, known as 'Operation Epic Fury', has cost USD 33.4 billion and taken a heavy toll on US aircraft and diplomatic facilities across West Asia.

A report submitted to the US Congress by the Lead Inspector General of the Department of War on 'Operation Epic Fury' covers a reporting period from the start of the war on February 28 through June 30. The report was made public on Monday. The losses incurred after that period could push the overall cost even higher.

According to the Department of War’s accounting, the campaign — which was launched to dismantle Iran’s missile production and naval capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons — had cost USD 33.4 billion as of June 29.

The figure includes USD 7.4 billion in cumulative incremental operational costs, USD 22.3 billion worth of ammunition fired, and USD 3.7 billion worth of equipment lost.

The report said the rate at which ammunition was used had “raised alarms” inside the Pentagon. The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment said that “expenditures during the operation have produced strategic inventory shortfalls and exposed bottlenecks in the industrial base’s ability to resupply munitions”.

The US Department of War said it was working to streamline procurement and production timelines and to stockpile critical materials and munitions for future contingencies.

The report documents extensive losses to the US air assets during the campaign. Four F-15E fighters were destroyed — three by friendly fire and one by enemy fire. One F-35A fifth-generation fighter was damaged by enemy fire over Iran. An A-10 aircraft was destroyed after it was jettisoned because of damage sustained during a combat search-and-rescue mission to evacuate a US pilot on May 6.

Seven KC-135 refuelling aircraft were damaged or destroyed. One was damaged and another destroyed in a mid-air collision over Iraq, while five others were damaged or destroyed on the ground in Saudi Arabia by Iranian strikes. An airborne early-warning aircraft was also damaged on the ground in Saudi Arabia.

Seven helicopters of various types were destroyed, while 30 MQ-9 surveillance drones were lost under various circumstances.

Regarding the US casualties, the report said seven service members were killed in action and another seven died in non-hostile incidents during combat operations, bringing the total number of deaths to 14. In addition, 417 service members were wounded in action.

More than 50,000 US service members were deployed across the US Central Command area of responsibility in support of the operation.

The cost estimates do not include the expense of repairing damaged infrastructure, meaning the true bill is likely to be higher. The State Department separately reported $113 million in war-related costs as of June 2, including USD 79.2 million spent evacuating American personnel, their families, the US citizens and eligible third-country nationals from the region.

Iranian strikes damaged the US diplomatic facilities in four countries — Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — at an estimated cost of roughly USD 184 million.

The US mission in Iraq recorded more than 600 attacks during the reporting period. The new US consulate compound in Erbil suffered damage to multiple buildings, while the US Embassy in Baghdad sustained lesser damage. Baghdad Diplomatic Support Compound near the international airport was extensively damaged, although it had already been slated for closure before the war began.

Two Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, while the US Consulate General in Dubai sustained damage to a utility building.