US Defense Secretary Indicates No Clear End Date for Iran Conflict as Pentagon Seeks Major Budget Increase

Washington D.C. – US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that there is no clear timeline for the end of the ongoing conflict with Iran. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is preparing to request an additional $200 billion budget from the US Congress to sustain the war.

Although Hegseth did not directly confirm the exact amount, he signaled that necessary expenditures might increase. “The figure of $200 billion might change, but sufficient resources are needed to conduct the war,” he told a press conference. According to him, the government will approach Congress again to secure additional funding for the current situation and potential future military activities.

According to US media outlets, the Department of Defense has already submitted this proposal to the White House. This amount is considered very large, especially considering that the defense sector already received an additional budget last year through President Donald Trump's tax cut bill.

Approval of this proposal requires support from the US Congress, but uncertainty remains regarding that. Some lawmakers within the ruling party appear skeptical about large military spending, while opposition Democrats have indicated they will demand a clear plan regarding the war's strategy and objectives.

Hegseth clarified that he did not want to set a deadline for the war, stating that the final decision would be made by President Trump. He also mentioned that the decision to stop would only come after the objectives are deemed achieved. According to him, the US has so far attacked over 7,000 military targets across Iran, and preparations for further major strikes are underway. However, the US Congress has not formally authorized the war. In this context, the increasing military activity and the large budget request are intensifying political and strategic debates.