July 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee Tuesday that the financial cost of the Iran war has now reached about $37.5 billion according to Defense Department estimates.

US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is also pushing for more funding for the war. It comes as the US military is striking Iran for the 11th consecutive night. DW has the latest.

Pete Hegseth faced hostile Senate questioning as the Pentagon sought more money for the Iran war. The clash underscored mounting concern over casualties, costs and the risk of a prolonged conflict.

WASHINGTON - The war with Iran has cost the US some $37.5bn so far, an increase of nearly $8bn since the last estimate in May, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said. In his first appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee since the conflict restarted, Hegseth said that military training would need to be curtailed without an urgent funding boost. He said he was seeking $87bn in congressional funding for his department, with $67bn of that destined for operations in the Middle East. Hegseth's appearance before the committee came at a pivotal time in the war after three US soldiers were killed in the Middle East. The White House asked Congress in April for $1.5tn for the Pentagon over the next fiscal year, which would raise US military spending to an all-time high in the modern era. The US launched a 10th consecutive day of strikes on Monday, and Iran retaliated with strikes of its own against the US and its allies in the Middle East. The defense secretary began Tuesday's testimony by saying, "we live…