President Trump’s first day of strikes against Iran — codenamed Operation Epic Fury — cost an estimated $1.4 billion, according to a study. That sum could have created far more jobs if invested in education, healthcare or infrastructure instead of the military.
Trump has already spent $779 million in the first 24 hours of striking Iran, and pre-strike military preparations — including naval and air repositioning — cost an additional $630 million , reported Turkey’s Anadolu news agency and Al Jazeera.
With Trump declaring that the war with Iran may last another four to five weeks, this conflict may prove to be one of the most costly operations the US has undertaken in the Middle East and Central Asia.
A Drop in the Bucket of Post-9/11 Spending
This $1.4 billion adds to the $8 trillion already spent since George Bush launched the ‘War on Terror’ in retaliation for 9/11, according to a Brown University study titled “Cost of War.” That figure only accounts for attacks undertaken until 2021.
Another $9 to $12 billion has been spent waging war in Yemen since October 2023, according to Harvard University professor Linda J. Bilmes.
An estimated $2.2 to $2.5 trillion will have been spent by 2050 on caring for war veterans — most of which has not yet been paid.
What’s Included in the Cost?
When talking about military expenditure, a lot more is taken into account than just weapons. The Brown University study comprises a comprehensive framework that includes both direct and indirect costs:
- Direct military expenditure on personnel, weaponry, fuel, operations and logistics
- Long-term social and humanitarian costs
- Long-term veteran and healthcare costs
- Interest, infrastructure repairs, and environmental costs
- Cost of migration and displacement
Other Recent US Military Expenditures
- $21.7 billion spent as aid to Israel since the conflict with Hamas erupted in 2023
- $3 billion for this year’s campaign on Venezuela, according to Bloomberg
- $413 million allocated under the Trump administration for counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria and West Africa
For context, the US defence budget for fiscal year 2026 is heading toward $901 billion. The US has the highest defence budget in the world, exceeding the combined budgets of the next 10 countries.
The Human Toll
According to Brown University’s Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs, 940,000 people have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen since 2001 as a direct consequence of US attacks. This figure does not include the indirect deaths from disease, migration, lack of healthcare or hunger.
Jobs: Military vs. Other Sectors
Brown University’s study shows that military spending produced an average of five jobs per $1 million. The same investment in other sectors creates significantly more employment:
- 13 jobs in education
- 9 jobs in healthcare
- 7 to 8 jobs in infrastructure
Trump has projected a $1.5 trillion military budget for 2027.
Source: Multiple (Brown University study / Anadolu / Al Jazeera)
