Live updates: Hegseth says Iran war cost $37.5 billion so far as administration seeks more funding - CNN

What the report says

CNN reported that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress the war with Iran has cost $37.5 billion so far, as the Trump administration seeks additional defense funding. Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine testified Tuesday before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers from both parties pressed for clearer explanations of the war’s costs, objectives and exit strategy. CNN noted that experts believe the true bill is likely higher.

The live update said US Central Command announced an 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iran, targeting military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage sites and logistics infrastructure. Iranian state media reported air defenses were activated in Tehran early Wednesday and described strikes in several western, southern and coastal areas. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a new wave of attacks “to punish the US” was underway, while Kuwait said its air defenses engaged hostile drones.

The conflict is also drawing in regional security concerns. CNN reported that Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan said they intercepted aerial attacks, and Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen warned Saudi vessels not to use the Red Sea. President Donald Trump said the US would probably soon strike the Pickaxe Mountain area, described as a fortified underground site believed to be linked to Iran’s nuclear program; Tehran warned that any attack on its nuclear facilities would expand the war.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, said Iran was “not serious about talks” while emphasizing US openness to diplomacy. He also warned that threats to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz could endanger the global economy and longstanding rules of international commerce.