The war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn so far -- an increase of nearly $8bn since the last estimate in May, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said. Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee it was urgent that lawmakers approve another $87bn in congressional funding for the Pentagon, with $67bn of that destined for operations in the Middle East. Two Democratic sources and a third source familiar with the matter told the BBC's media partner CBS that they believe the actual cost of the Iran war is much higher. They said the current estimate did not include costs like construction for damaged American bases. The hearing was disrupted several times by anti-war protesters and ended in a shouting match between the defence secretary and a senator.