Now, who can believe Iran war will be short-lived? Trump eyes tens of billions of dollars more for ammo

The war with Iran is already costing the United States heavily. In just the first two days of strikes, American forces used about $5.6 billion worth of munitions, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The figure was shared with members of the US Congress, the newspaper said. It reflects the value of missiles and other weapons fired in the opening phase of the campaign.

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The amount covers only the cost of munitions. It does not include the wider expenses of the operation. Those include aircraft missions, naval deployments, and troop support in the region.

Even as the price of the war rises, US President Donald Trump has suggested the conflict may end soon.

But officials quoted by The Washington Post say the administration is preparing to ask Congress for more money. A supplemental defence funding request could be sent to lawmakers as early as this week. The amount could run into tens of billions of dollars.

The proposal may face resistance in Congress. Many Democrats have already tried to restrict the administration from expanding military action against Iran.

Also Read: US-Israel-Iran war LIVE updates

Worries about weapons supplies

The report said US forces have launched thousands of strikes across Iran since the operation began.

The speed of the campaign has raised concern among some lawmakers. They worry that the military may burn through stocks of advanced weapons too quickly.

To keep the operation going, the Pentagon has started moving resources. Parts of a THAAD missile defence system have been shifted from South Korea to the Middle East, the report said.

Stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles have also been used to defend against Iranian drones and ballistic missiles.

Defence analysts say such steps carry risks. Mark Cancian, who studies US weapons inventories, warned that using these systems in large numbers could weaken US readiness in other regions.

“The more THAADs and Patriots you shoot, the more risk you assume in the Indo-Pacific and in Ukraine,” he told The Washington Post.