WASHINGTON: The United States Department of Defense has reportedly requested $200 billion in additional funding for the ongoing conflict with Iran as Donald Trump considers deploying thousands of additional American troops to the region.
According to multiple sources cited by The Washington Post, the Pentagon has asked the White House to formally request the funds from United States Congress to sustain and expand military operations.
The request follows a study indicating that the US has already spent about $3.7 billion during the first 100 hours of the campaign, dubbed Operation Epic Fury. That spending rate—estimated at $891.4 million per day rose to roughly $11 billion within the first week of the war effort.
However, it remains uncertain whether Congress will approve the funding. Lawmakers from the Democratic Party (United States) have largely opposed the war, while Rand Paul, a Republican senator known for his libertarian stance on foreign policy, frequently votes against military spending measures.
Their opposition could make it difficult to reach the 60 votes needed in the Senate to avoid a filibuster.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is weighing the possibility of sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East to reinforce ongoing operations. Sources cited by Reuters said the deployment would give the president more options as the conflict enters its third week.
One option under consideration involves ensuring the safe passage of oil tankers through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
While such a mission would mainly rely on air and naval power, it could also require US troops to operate near Iran’s coastline.
Another potential operation discussed within the administration would involve deploying ground forces to Kharg Island, which handles about 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports.
However, officials caution that such an operation would be highly risky. Iran possesses missile and drone capabilities capable of striking the island, raising concerns about the safety of any deployed US forces.
