[US Media: Iran War Draining Pentagon Funds, Could Push Defense Spending to $80 Billion] BlockBeats News, June 21 – According to U.S. media reports, the ongoing military operations in Iran are placing significant pressure on the U.S. defense budget and ammunition stockpiles. Citing sources familiar with the matter, *The Wall Street Journal* reported that internal estimates from the U.S. Department of Defense suggest the war and related expenditures may have reached or are nearing the $80 billion mark. The report warns that if spending continues to expand, the Pentagon could face a funding shortfall by summer, requiring Congress to approve emergency supplemental appropriations. The report noted that this funding gap has not yet been formalized into a budget request but has been mentioned in communications between senior defense officials and Congress. A former Pentagon financial officer stated that early estimates were around $29 billion, but the actual costs could far exceed that figure. Meanwhile, the conflict has reportedly caused significant depletion of critical U.S. ammunition stockpiles, including THAAD and Patriot interceptor missiles. Several research institutions have analyzed that the U.S. has consumed a substantial portion of these stockpiles, with replenishment cycles for some models taking several years, raising concerns about the defense industry's supply capabilities. Additionally, Congress is advancing a new round of defense authorization legislation with an expected total scale exceeding $1 trillion. This includes billions of dollars in funding for Israel-related defense systems and cooperative projects, sparking ongoing discussions about the structure of U.S. global military spending and resource allocation. [Original Link]