ANKARA, March 4. /TASS/. The US armed forces spent around $779 mln in the first 24 hours of military operations in the Middle East, or roughly 0.1% of their total military budget for 2026, according to calculations by the Turkish Anadolu Agency.

The largest share of spending during the first day was for the launch of Tomahawk missiles, which cost the military about $340.4 mln, the report said. This was followed by expenditures on fighter jet sorties totaling $271.3 mln.

The third-largest category included the use of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, as well as intelligence gathering and logistical support, which together cost the US armed forces around $122.2 mln. Strikes carried out by B-2 strategic bombers alone cost Washington approximately $30.2 mln.

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. At the same time, US leadership openly called on the Iranian population to rise up against their government and seize power.

As a result of the strikes, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other senior figures in the leadership of the Islamic Republic were killed.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also hit.