Iran-US war live: Drone downed near US embassy in Baghdad after Trump urges Tehran to ‘get smart’ and sign deal

One of the biggest revelations to emerge from Wednesday’s congressional hearing was that the war in Iran has so far cost an estimated $25 billion.

“Approximately, of this day, we’re spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury,” Jules Hurst, a Pentagon budget official, told the hearing.

Most of that has been spent on munitions, he said.

President Donald Trump issued an astonishing new threat against Iran Wednesday, posting a mocked-up picture of himself brandishing an assault rifle with the strapline: “No more Mr Nice Guy!”

“Iran can’t get their act together,” the President wrote on Truth Social. “They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”

The threat was accompanied by a meme of Trump, stood against a Middle Eastern backdrop of explosions devastating a hillside, wearing a dark suit and sunglasses and holding the heavy-duty firearm.

President Donald Trump has claimed that King Charles “probably would have helped us” in Iran as he launched another attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO.

Speaking during the King’s state visit, the president said the royal was a “phenomenal representative for his country” and suggested he would have differed in his approach to the conflict from the prime minister.

“The King loves his country, and he’s a great king, and he’s a great friend of mine. And I think if that it were up to him, he would have probably helped us with Iran,” Trump said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was grilled by lawmakers for six hours, mostly about the war in Iran.

The hearing is now adjourned after nearly six hours.

As Hegseth was testifying, Trump appeared to confuse the two countries as he turned an Oval Office meeting to honor the Artemis II lunar mission crew into a wide-ranging media session with reporters.

After four minutes of remarks to honor the NASA crew that traveled to the Moon for the first time since the Nixon administration, the president immediately launched into a question-and-answer session in which he told reporters a recent conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin had focused on the Ukraine and Iran wars.

“I talked about Ukraine, and I talked a little bit about Iran. I talked about few different subjects, mostly about Ukraine, and we had a very good conversation. I think we’re going to come up with a solution relatively quickly,” he said Wednesday.

A second Republican questioned Pete Hegseth’s firing of Gen. Randy George, one of the top U.S. military officials.

Reps. Austin Scott of Georgia and Don Bacon of Nebraska both expressed their concern over George’s ousting.

“I do want you to know I disagree with the firing of General George,” Scott said. “I’ve sent you a letter. I hope you’ll look forward to seeing the responses on that.”

Democratic Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire asks Hegseth if he knows what the average price of gas was on February 28, at the start of the war, compared to now.

“Do you know what the average cost of a gallon of gas was in this country on February 28?” Goodlander asked.

“Well, it depends on where you live. If you live in California, it’s 8 bucks and 83 cents,” he replied.

“I gotta say, Mr. Hegseth, you said you’ve got a crack economic team that’s looking at the impacts of this war on the American taxpayer. And you can’t answer this basic question… that should shock the conscience of every American.”