By Jerald Jimenez
Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, attended his first hearing before Congress this Wednesday after the start of joint military actions between the United States and Israel against Iranwhere he was questioned by Democrats while Pentagon representatives confirmed that the cost of operations reached $25 billion.
Jules Hurst III, acting undersecretary of war for finance, told the House Armed Services Committee that the majority of spending has been focused on ammunition acquisition, operational management and the replacement of military equipment. Hurst appeared alongside Hegseth and the long-established Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss a $1.5 trillion global budget request, CBS News reported.
“We will develop a supplemental budget through the White House that will be presented to Congress once we have a full assessment of the cost of the conflict.”Hurst said of future financial planning.
Impact of the naval blockade and strategic influence
The administration defended maintaining the blockade of Iranian ports and ships as a pressure tool. According to official datathe US military has forced back 39 ships attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports. For its part, the White House did not rule out extending these measures despite the increase in logistical costs for American citizens.
“Thanks to the successful blockade of Iranian ports, the United States has maximum influence over the regime, and the president will only accept an agreement that protects the national security of our country,” said White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly.
Warnings and risks on maritime routes
President Trump issued a new warning through his social networks, urging the Iranian regime to negotiate an end to hostilities. Simultaneously, Government officials met with energy executives to evaluate how to prolong the blockade and mitigate the impact on prices for consumers.
In response, Iranian legislative authorities threatened to mobilize their Houthi allies in Yemen to disrupt traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. At the moment, Iran maintains restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, where it has seized two ships and refuses to negotiate as long as the US blockade persists.
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