U.S. defense spending may rise by $80 billion amid ongoing Iran conflict

ME News reports that, on June 21 (UTC+8), U.S. media indicated that ongoing military operations against Iran are placing significant pressure on the U.S. defense budget and ammunition stockpiles. According to reports, this funding gap has not yet been formally submitted as a budget request but has been raised in communications between senior Department of Defense officials and Congress. Former Pentagon finance officials estimate the initial cost at approximately $29 billion, though actual expenses may far exceed this figure. Meanwhile, the conflict is also said to be substantially depleting critical U.S. ammunition inventories, including THAAD and Patriot interceptor missiles. Multiple research institutions analyze that the U.S. has consumed a considerable portion of these stockpiles, with replenishment cycles for certain models lasting several years, raising concerns about the capacity of the defense industrial base to meet demand. Additionally, the new National Defense Authorization Act currently under consideration by Congress is expected to exceed $1 trillion in total funding, including billions allocated for Israel-related defense systems and cooperative programs, fueling ongoing debates about the structure and allocation of U.S. global military spending. (Source: ODAILY)