War cost US over $37 billion, Hegseth says, as strikes on Iran continue for 11 straight days

The latest estimate represents an increase of nearly $8 billion from the Pentagon's last official assessment in May, when the war's cost was put at $29 billion. Earlier, Pentagon officials told lawmakers that the war had cost $11.3 billion during its first week, as per a New York Times report in March.

Democratic lawmakers questioned the latest estimate. Two Democratic sources and another person familiar with the matter told CBS News that the actual cost could be significantly higher because the Pentagon's calculation did not include expenses such as rebuilding damaged US military bases.

The hearing was also interrupted several times. Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the committee, said that the war was “spiralling out of control again.”