US media: The war with Iran is draining the Pentagon's funds and could push defense spending up to $80 billion.

According to Odaily Planet Daily, US media reports indicate that the ongoing military operation against Iraq is putting significant pressure on the US defense budget and ammunition inventory. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, estimates within the US Department of Defense suggest that the war and related expenditures may have approached or reached $80 billion. The report warns that if spending continues to increase, the Pentagon may face insufficient operating funds this summer, requiring emergency additional funding from Congress. The report notes that this funding gap has not yet formed a formal budget request, but it has been mentioned in communications between senior Department of Defense officials and Congress. A former Department of Defense financial official stated that early estimates were around $29 billion, but the actual cost could be far higher. Meanwhile, the conflict is also said to have significantly depleted the US's critical ammunition inventory, including THAAD and Patriot interceptor missiles. Several research institutions have analyzed that the US has already consumed a considerable proportion of these inventories, with replenishment cycles for some models taking several years, raising concerns about military supply capabilities. Furthermore, the new round of National Defense Authorization Act currently being pushed forward by Congress is expected to exceed $1 trillion, including billions of dollars in funding for Israeli-related defense systems and cooperative projects, sparking ongoing discussions about the structure and allocation of US global military spending and resources.