Documentation
Methodology
ConflictCost.org provides real-time estimates of direct military expenditure across all major active and recent conflicts. This page explains the cost model, data sources, and calibration approach used for every conflict entry.
——
Cost Model
Each conflict's running total is computed from three parameters:
FORMULA
totalCost = anchor + (daysSinceStart × ratePerDay)| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
anchor | USD lump sum | A calibration constant capturing costs already incurred before the ongoing rate applies. Derived by solving: anchor = knownTotal − (knownDays × ratePerDay). Often $0 for conflicts where a single daily rate is a reasonable lifetime average. |
ratePerDay | USD / day | The current (or characteristic) daily military spending across all parties. For ongoing conflicts, this reflects the most recently reportable sustained rate. For ended conflicts, it represents the conflict-lifetime average. |
startDate | YYYY-MM-DD | The date from which the counter begins running. For long-running conflicts where earlier phases are not tracked (e.g. Afghanistan: only 2011–2021), this may differ from the absolute start of hostilities. |
endDate | YYYY-MM-DD (optional) | When set, the counter is frozen at this date. No further cost accrues after the end date, even as real time passes. Used for ENDED and FROZEN conflicts. |
The ticker updates every 300 ms, interpolating sub-day costs in real time: cost accrues continuously at ratePerDay ÷ 86,400 per second.
——
Scope: What's Included and Excluded
✓ Included
- Direct military operations (munitions, sorties, naval deployments)
- Foreign military aid in delivery (e.g. U.S. weapons to Ukraine, to Israel)
- Mobilization and reinforcement costs
- Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) operational costs
- Concurrent theater costs (multi-party conflicts counted once under primary entry)
- Published defense budget increases directly attributable to the conflict
✗ Excluded
- Long-term veteran healthcare and disability payments
- Reconstruction and post-conflict stabilization costs
- Economic spillover (GDP losses, trade disruption, food price impacts)
- Classified or unreported defense programs
- Humanitarian aid and refugee support costs
- Interest on war-related debt
- Indirect economic costs to civilian populations
Note: "Costs of War" research (e.g. Brown University's full-lifecycle estimates for Afghanistan at $2.3T+) incorporates many of the excluded categories above and will produce figures significantly higher than those shown here. ConflictCost.org focuses exclusively on direct military expenditure.
——
Primary Data Sources
Figures are drawn from the following primary sources, in approximate order of authority:
| Source | What it provides |
|---|---|
| SIPRI Military Expenditure Database | Annual national defense budgets by country, released each April for the prior year. Used as baseline for most state-level spending. |
| CSIS (Center for Strategic & International Studies) | Rapid-response cost analyses for major operations, e.g. Op. Epic Fury cost breakdowns in March 2026. |
| Brown University Costs of War Project | Comprehensive lifecycle cost research for U.S.-led wars (Afghanistan, Iraq, post-9/11). Used for total-war benchmarks. |
| CFR / Council on Foreign Relations | Aid tracker data (Ukraine, Israel), conflict-specific budget analyses. |
| U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) | Confirmed U.S. military support figures for Saudi Arabia/Yemen, Afghanistan. |
| Pentagon Congressional briefings (via Military Times, Breaking Defense) | Operational cost disclosures; used for Op. Epic Fury Day 6 figure ($11.3B). |
| Bank of Israel | Direct defense cost reporting for Israel-Gaza conflict through 2025. |
| Penn Wharton Budget Model | Independent estimates of sustained U.S. operational costs for Iran campaign. |
| ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) | Conflict intensity data used to validate spending rates for Sahel, DRC, and other sub-Saharan conflicts. |
| Kiel Institute Ukraine Support Tracker | European and U.S. military aid flows to Ukraine. |
| IISS Military Balance | Cross-country force size and spending benchmarks; used for Myanmar, Lebanon, DRC. |
——
Per-Conflict Parameters
The table below shows the exact calibration parameters for every tracked conflict, along with the key sources supporting each estimate.
| Conflict | Status | Rate / Day | Anchor | Start Date | Key Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇷Iran / Op. Epic Fury U.S. + Israel vs. Iran | Ceasefire | $500M/day | $12B | 2026-02-28 → 2026-04-08 | CSIS (Cancian & Park, Mar 2026) — $3.7B first 100 hrs, $16.5B by Day 12; Pentagon Congressional briefing (Military Times, Mar 2026) — $11.3B at Day 6; Penn Wharton Budget Model (Apr 2026) — total costs up to $47B if through end of April; Middle East Monitor (Mar 2026) — ~$27.5B through Day 32; CNN Politics (Mar 6, 2026) — daily cost breakdown; Pentagon supplemental budget request (Mar 19, 2026) — $200B for full campaign costs; White House (Apr 8, 2026) — ceasefire announcement; Iran International (Mar 31, 2026) — 4,700 IRGC/security forces KIA; Hengaw Organization for Human Rights (Apr 8, 2026) — 6,620 Iranian security forces KIA; NPR (Apr 8, 2026) — fragile ceasefire; CFR (Apr 2026) — Will It Last?; NaturalNews citing Pentagon (Apr 8, 2026) — ~$500M/day confirmed; Al Jazeera (Apr 8, 2026) — US-Iran ceasefire deal terms and next steps; CNN (Apr 9, 2026 — Day 41) — Netanyahu says no ceasefire in Lebanon; Al Jazeera (Apr 9-10, 2026) — Iran accuses US of 3 ceasefire violations; Axios (Apr 7, 2026) — 2-week ceasefire agreement; Al Jazeera (Apr 12, 2026 — US and Iran fail to reach deal after marathon talks in Pakistan); NPR (Apr 12, 2026 — U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad collapse); Times of Israel (Apr 12, 2026 — US-Iran talks end after 21 hours with no deal, US negotiators leave); Euronews (Apr 12, 2026 — US and Iran end talks without agreement); CNN (Apr 13, 2026 — Trump warns Iran as US military blockade on Iranian ports takes effect); Euronews (Apr 14, 2026 — Trump says US military has begun its blockade of Iranian ports); CNBC (Apr 12, 2026 — Trump says US will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks fail); NPR (Apr 13, 2026 — Trump warns that Iran's ships approaching US blockade will be 'eliminated'); CBSnews (Apr 13, 2026 — US imposes military blockade of Iranian ports on Strait of Hormuz); Time (Apr 14, 2026 — officials considering second round of US-Iran talks); CNBC (Apr 14, 2026 — Harvard academic says Iran war could cost US taxpayer $1 trillion); Wikipedia 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis (Apr 2026); CNBC (Apr 15, 2026 — US says Hormuz blockade 'fully implemented,' signaling diplomatic off-ramp for Iran); NBC News (Apr 15, 2026 — Iran threatens shipping in Gulf and Red Sea as Trump blockade continues); CNN (Apr 16, 2026 — Few ships pass Strait of Hormuz since US blockade); Al Jazeera liveblog (Apr 14, 2026 — Trump claims Tehran wants a deal amid US blockade of Hormuz); Wikipedia 2026 Iran war ceasefire (Apr 2026); OPB (Apr 17, 2026 — U.S. blockade continues despite Iran opening Strait of Hormuz); Iran International (Apr 17, 2026 — Iran threatens to reclose Hormuz if blockade continues); Military.com (Apr 17, 2026 — Strait of Hormuz reopens but US still blocking Iran shipping); CNN liveblog (Apr 17, 2026 — next round of US-Iran talks to take place in Pakistan); CBS News (Apr 17, 2026 — Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins as Iran keeps Strait of Hormuz gridlocked); NPR (Apr 18, 2026 — Iran says it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again as ceasefire nears its end); NPR (Apr 19, 2026 — U.S. seizes Iranian cargo ship M/V Touska in Strait of Hormuz); CNBC (Apr 20, 2026 — 'Resumption of hostilities': seized ship and vessel attacks push U.S.-Iran ceasefire toward brink); CNN liveblog (Apr 20, 2026 — Day 52: Trump says ceasefire extension 'highly unlikely'); Al Jazeera (Apr 19-20, 2026 — Day 51-52 of US-Iran conflict); CENTCOM press release (Apr 20, 2026 — 27 vessels turned around since blockade began); Wikipedia 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis (Apr 20, 2026); NBC News (Apr 20, 2026 — Trump says U.S. seized Iranian ship as tensions rise amid ceasefire); Al Jazeera (Apr 19, 2026 — USS Spruance disables and seizes M/V Touska after 6-hour standoff); Britannica (Apr 2026 — 2026 Iran war) |
| 🇱🇧2026 Lebanon War Israel vs. Hezbollah | Ceasefire | $150M/day | $2B | 2026-03-02 → 2026-04-17 | Times of Israel (Mar 2026) — NIS 143B defense budget + NIS 39B supplemental; Bloomberg Mar 2026 — war costs $1.6B/week for all Israeli ops; CFR (Mar 2026) — Israel plan to occupy southern Lebanon; ACLED Middle East Special Issue Mar 2026; Al Jazeera (Apr 8, 2026) — 357 killed in Operation Eternal Darkness; Washington Post (Apr 8, 2026) — Israel strikes central Beirut after Iran ceasefire; Times of Israel (Apr 8, 2026) — IDF launches largest airstrikes yet on Hezbollah; Lebanese health ministry (Apr 9, 2026) — rising toll; WSLS / MPR News (Apr 9, 2026) — over 300 killed on Apr 8 as Lebanon digs for survivors; Amnesty International (Apr 2026) — urgent call to protect civilians; Al Jazeera liveblog (Apr 9, 2026) — ceasefire talks with Lebanon emerging; UN News (Apr 9, 2026) — hundreds feared dead in Lebanon strikes; Washington Times (Apr 9, 2026) — ongoing war update; Times of Israel (Apr 11, 2026) — Israel says direct peace talks with Lebanon to begin ASAP, rejects ceasefire with Hezbollah before talks; Al Jazeera (Apr 11, 2026) — Israel rejects ceasefire with Hezbollah ahead of Lebanon talks next week; Axios (Apr 10, 2026) — Lebanon and U.S. ask Israel for pause in fighting; NPR (Apr 10, 2026) — Israel and Lebanon to hold ceasefire talks; Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (Apr 11, 2026) — 10 more killed in Israeli strikes; Washington Post (Apr 9, 2026) — Netanyahu approves talks with Lebanon after Israeli strikes; Al Jazeera (Apr 11, 2026 — Israeli strikes kill at least 18 people across southern Lebanon); Lebanese Ministry of Health (Apr 11, 2026 — 2,020+ killed, 6,436+ wounded); Al Jazeera (Apr 12, 2026 — Ghalibaf blames US for failure of Pakistan ceasefire talks); CGTN (Apr 13, 2026 — death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon rises to 2,055, 6,588 wounded ahead of planned peace talks); Spectrum Local News (Apr 13, 2026 — Israel, Hezbollah clash in Lebanon ahead of official talks); Al Jazeera (Apr 13-14, 2026 — at least 6 killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon Apr 13); Time (Apr 10, 2026 — Israel's War Against Lebanon, Explained); Wikipedia 2026 Lebanon war (Apr 13, 2026 — updated toll); Al Jazeera (Apr 14, 2026 — Israel and Lebanon hold rare talks in Washington DC); NPR (Apr 14, 2026 — Israel and Lebanon agree to start peace negotiations after rare talks in DC); CNBC (Apr 16, 2026 — Trump says Israel and Lebanon leaders to hold talks after first high-level meeting in decades); PBS NewsHour (Apr 14, 2026 — What to know about new direct talks between Lebanon and Israel); Qatar News Agency / Lebanese MoH (Apr 15, 2026 — 2,164 killed / 7,061 wounded); Times of Israel (Apr 15, 2026 — PM says ready for possible Iran war resumption, mulls new talks in Pakistan); Euronews (Apr 15, 2026 — Lebanon economy minister: we want peace with Israel); ChathamHouse (Apr 2026 — Lebanon–Israel talks must be given a chance); Wikipedia 2026 Israel-Lebanon peace talks (Apr 2026); Euronews (Apr 17, 2026 — US-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon goes into effect); NBC News (Apr 16, 2026 — Trump announces 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon); CBS News (Apr 17, 2026 — Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins); Wikipedia 2026 Israel–Lebanon peace talks (Apr 17 update); Lebanese Ministry of Health cumulative toll (Apr 16, 2026 — 2,294 killed, 7,544 wounded from Mar 2 to Apr 16); Al Jazeera (Apr 17, 2026 — what we know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire); U.S. Department of State (Apr 16, 2026 — Ten-day cessation of hostilities to enable peace negotiations); CS Monitor (Apr 20, 2026 — amid ceasefire in Lebanon, a rush home); Euronews (Apr 17, 2026 — residents return to devastated southern towns); Wikipedia 2026 Israel-Lebanon ceasefire (Apr 2026); OHCHR (Apr 2026 — UN experts condemn Israel's unprecedented bombing in Lebanon) |
| 🇺🇦Russia-Ukraine War Russia vs. Ukraine + Western support | Active | $825M/day | — | 2022-02-24 | SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2024–2026; SIPRI Insights 2026 — Budget for a Fifth Year of War; Al Jazeera Feb 2026 four-year review; CFR Ukraine Aid Tracker (Dec 2025); Kiel Institute; UkraineWorld (Russia 2026 budget analysis); Russia Matters War Report Card (Apr 8, 2026); Russia Matters War Report Card (Apr 1, 2026); United24 Media (Apr 2026 — Russia hits grim high in March 2026, 35,351 troops lost); Euronews / Kremlin (Apr 9, 2026 — Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire); Zelenskyy / Outlook India (Apr 9-10, 2026 — Ukraine agrees to Easter ceasefire); Al Jazeera (Apr 10, 2026 — Russia and Ukraine agree to 32-hour Orthodox Easter ceasefire); WSLS (Apr 11, 2026 — Russian strikes on Odesa kill 2 ahead of Orthodox Easter ceasefire); Taipei Times (Apr 11, 2026 — Russia, Ukraine agree 32-hour ceasefire confirmed); PBS NewsHour (Apr 11, 2026 — Putin declares weekend ceasefire for Orthodox Easter); ABC News / Reuters (Apr 12, 2026 — Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of violating Orthodox Easter ceasefire); EA WorldView (Apr 12, 2026 — Ukraine War Day 1,509: Kyiv records 2,299 Russian ceasefire violations); Xinhua (Apr 12, 2026 — Russia accuses Ukraine of nearly 2,000 violations); PBS NewsHour (Apr 12, 2026 — Easter ceasefire falters); Mediazona / BBC (Apr 10, 2026 — nearly 209,000 Russian soldiers confirmed KIA by open-source investigation); empr.media (Apr 14, 2026 — Russia-Ukraine War Updates: 1,312,960 total Russian casualties per Ukrainian General Staff); Russia Matters War Report Card (Apr 15, 2026); empr.media (Apr 16, 2026 — Russia-Ukraine War Updates: 1,315,070 total Russian casualties per Ukrainian General Staff); GlobalSecurity.org (Apr 15, 2026 — Military Situation in Ukraine maps); CNN (Apr 16, 2026 — Russia launches one of its largest drone attacks on Ukraine this year, killing 18); Euronews (Apr 16, 2026 — Russia hits Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro in deadliest attack); NBC News (Apr 17, 2026 — Russian missiles and drones bombard Ukraine for hours, killing at least 18); CBS News (Apr 16, 2026 — Russia launches deadliest aerial assault of year, 118 wounded); Kyiv Independent (Apr 17, 2026 — Ukraine war latest, new drone assault units); Russia Matters War Report Card (Apr 15, 2026); Al Jazeera (Apr 10, 2026 — Russia suffers record soldier casualties); Ukrainska Pravda (Apr 17, 2026 — Russian losses 1,000 killed/wounded in past day); Ukrainska Pravda (Apr 12, 2026 — Russia's losses as of Apr 12 morning); Mediazona (Apr 10, 2026 — Russian losses updated); Kyiv Post (2026 Ukraine wartime budget $113.8B); Kiel Institute Ukraine Support Tracker (Apr 2026); Euronews (Apr 2026 — EU states ratified $90B multiyear loan); General Staff of Ukraine cumulative losses (Apr 20, 2026); Militarnyi (Apr 2026 — NATO estimates Russian monthly KIA at 20,000-25,000); Breaking Defense (Apr 15, 2026 — Finnish President Stubb cites 1:5 kill ratio); Defense Express (Apr 20, 2026 — 1,517 days of war, Russian casualties); Ukrainska Pravda (Apr 15, 2026 — Russian losses 1,010 soldiers past day); Minfin Ukraine (Apr 20, 2026 — cumulative Russian casualties ~1,319,270) |
| 🇵🇸Gaza / Middle East Wars Israel + U.S. vs. Hamas / Hezbollah / Houthis | Ceasefire | $100M/day | $16B | 2023-10-07 | Bank of Israel (direct defense costs ~$77B through 2025); AA.com — war expenses $76.3B in 2 years (Oct 2025); Brown University Costs of War 2025 — U.S. military aid $21.7B; Breaking Defense Mar 2026 — Israel $45B defense budget; Haaretz Jan 2026; WAFA (Apr 13, 2026 — Gaza death toll surpasses 72,333; 172,202 injured); WAFA (Apr 15, 2026 — 72,344 killed / 172,242 injured per Gaza MoH); onaquietday.org (Apr 15, 2026 — 8 more killed by Israeli fire, death toll nears 72,350); UN Women (Apr 17, 2026 — more than 38,000 women and girls killed in Gaza between October 2023 and December 2025, including 22,000+ women and 16,000+ girls); UN.org (Apr 17, 2026 — press release, UN Women on Gaza casualties); WAFA (Apr 18, 2026 — Gaza death toll 72,549); Business Upturn (Apr 18, 2026 — 72,549 dead; 773 killed since ceasefire began); OHCHR (Apr 10, 2026 — Türk: Palestinians across Gaza unsafe six months on from ceasefire); NPR (Apr 16, 2026 — six months after ceasefire with Israel, people in Gaza say recovery hasn't even begun); Antiwar.com / News From Antiwar (Apr 2-20, 2026 — ongoing ceasefire violations); Al Jazeera (Apr 17, 2026 — Israeli forces kill Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire); Statista (2026 — monthly Gaza fatalities); GlobalSecurity (Apr 19, 2026 — Israeli attacks kill seven as 2,400 ceasefire violations recorded); Business Upturn (Apr 2026 — Gaza casualties climb to 72,549 with 773 killed since ceasefire); MSF (Apr 2026 — 'This is not a ceasefire': life in Gaza continues to be suffocated six months on) |
| 🇸🇩Sudan Civil War Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) vs. Rapid Support Forces (RSF) | Active | $8M/day | — | 2023-04-15 | Nuba Reports; Taylor & Francis conflict cost study (Nov 2025); SIPRI; ACLED; Doctors Without Borders / MSF (Apr 2026 — three years of war, shattered lifelines); UN OCHA (Apr 2026 — 500+ civilians killed by drone strikes Jan 1–Mar 15 2026); Al Jazeera (Apr 2, 2026 — RSF attack on Al Jabalain Hospital: 10 dead, 7 medical staff among victims); CFR Global Conflict Tracker Sudan (Apr 2026); Daily Sabah (Apr 2026 — fourth year of war, mounting deaths); UN OCHA / UN aid chief Tom Fletcher (Apr 2026 — nearly 700 civilians killed in drone strikes in Q1 2026); ACLED (2024 — conflict deaths exceeded 25,000 for first time); Sudan government / Reuters (Jan 11, 2026 — government returns to Khartoum); Chad government (Feb 23, 2026 — Chad shuts eastern border with Sudan indefinitely); Berlin donors conference (Mar 2026 — faltering peace talks); Al Jazeera (Apr 16, 2026 — After three years of war, Sudan army and RSF locked in military impasse); WBUR Here & Now (Apr 20, 2026 — Sudan's civil war enters 4th year); UN data (Feb 2026 — 11,300 civilians killed in 2025, triple 2024); Wikipedia Sudanese civil war 2023-present (Apr 2026); IRC (Apr 2026 — crisis in Sudan, what is happening); HRW World Report 2026 Sudan |
| 🇲🇲Myanmar Civil War Military Junta (SAC) vs. People's Defence Force + ethnic armed groups | Active | $14M/day | — | 2021-02-01 | SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2024 (April 2025 release); IISS Military Balance 2026; SIPRI press release Apr 2025; Al Jazeera (Mar 27, 2026 — who is fighting in Myanmar's multi-front civil war); IISS Myanmar Conflict Map (Apr 2026 — junta controls <40% of townships); Conflict.sbs Myanmar Civil War 2026 report; FDD (Apr 15, 2026 — new resistance alliance built to win Myanmar's civil war); The Diplomat (Apr 2026 — Three Indian nationals killed in Myanmar civil war); HRW World Report 2026 (Myanmar chapter); The Diplomat (Apr 2026 — three Indian nationals killed in Myanmar civil war); Al Jazeera (Mar 27, 2026 — Who is fighting in Myanmar's multi-front civil war); UN OCHA (Apr 2026 — 75,000+ conflict-related deaths) |
| 🌍Sahel / West Africa Multiple governments vs. JNIM / ISGS (Islamic State Greater Sahara) | Active | $4M/day | — | 2020-01-01 | SIPRI 2024; ACLED conflict data; IISS Africa report 2025; ACLED (2024 Annual conflict report — conflict deaths exceeded 25,000 first time); Africa Center (Apr 2026 — widening scope of militant Islamist threat); ADF Magazine (Apr 2026 — violence against civilians surges in Niger's Tillabéri region); JNIM/ISSP attack on Niamey international airport (Feb 2026); FDD (Apr 15, 2026 — new resistance alliance, JNIM spillover to Nigeria noted); ACLED (Apr 2026 — conflict intensifies and instability spreads beyond Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger); US News / Reuters (Apr 2, 2026 — Burkina, Mali troops kill more civilians than jihadists); Africa Center (Apr 2026 — widening scope of militant Islamist threat); Africanews (Apr 20, 2026 — Africa's shifting security map, ten years on); Pravda Mali (Apr 18, 2026 — summary of fighting in Sahel Apr 4–17) |
| 🇨🇩DR Congo / M23 DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) + SADC vs. M23 / Rwanda | Active | $6M/day | — | 2022-11-01 | SIPRI 2023 (DRC +105%); ACLED; UN Group of Experts reports; UN News (Mar 26, 2026 — violence intensifies as UN mission pledges continued support); Global Security / UNSC (Mar 26, 2026 — despite ceasefire, situation continues to deteriorate); ACLED (Apr 2026 — 173 cases conflict-related sexual violence confirmed since Dec 2025); ICG (Apr 2026 — Elusive Peace in the Great Lakes, updated); Washington Accords (Mar 17-18, 2026 — DRC and Rwanda renew commitment to peace implementation); SOS Médias Burundi (Apr 18, 2026 — Burundian troops progress in South Kivu amid M23 clashes); Africa Center (Apr 2026 — risk of regional conflict following fall of Goma and M23 offensive); UN Security Council briefing (Mar 26, 2026); U.S. Department of State (Apr 18, 2026 — Joint Statement on Progress Between DRC and AFC/M23, Montreux); AllAfrica (Apr 19, 2026 — Joint Statement on Ceasefire Meetings in Switzerland); Meyka (Apr 18, 2026 — DRC-M23 Ceasefire: Prisoner Release Deal Signed); Taarifa Rwanda (Apr 19, 2026 — Kinshasa and AFC/M23 Formalise Ceasefire Joint Verification Mechanism); Al Jazeera (Apr 19, 2026 — DRC government, M23 rebels commit to protecting civilians, aid deliveries); Anews (Apr 20, 2026 — DR Congo army accuses M23 of deadly attacks amid peace talks); Xinhua (Apr 18, 2026 — DR Congo gov't-rebels peace talks see progress) |
| 🇮🇱The Twelve-Day War (Israel–Iran) Israel + U.S. vs. Iran | Ended | $2B/day | — | 2025-06-13 → 2025-06-25 | New Arab — Israel faces $12B losses after 12-day war; TRT World — total U.S. + Israel + Iran costs; Al Jazeera Centre for Studies — Twelve Days of Inferno analysis; Britannica — 12-Day War entry; House of Commons Library CBP-10292 (Impacts of June 2025 strikes) |
| 🇾🇪Yemen War Saudi-led coalition vs. Houthi forces (Ansar Allah) | Ceasefire | $67M/day | — | 2015-03-26 → 2023-04-09 | Wilson Center Dec 2015 ($200M/day peak); GAO 2022 ($54.6B US support 2015-2021); SIPRI; Washington Times (Apr 9, 2026 — Houthis hold Bab al-Mandab Strait, next chokepoint on oil commerce); Security Council Report (Apr 2026 — Yemen briefing and consultations); Wikipedia 2026 Houthi strikes on Israel; ACLED Middle East Monitor (Apr 2026) |
| 🇪🇹Ethiopia / Tigray War Ethiopian federal forces + Eritrea vs. TPLF / Tigray Defence Forces | Ended | $3M/day | — | 2020-11-04 → 2022-11-02 | SIPRI (Ethiopia budget $1.03B in 2022, +111%); East African / SIPRI Feb 2022; Oxford Initiative on Peace and Recovery in Ethiopia |
| 🇱🇾Libya Civil War GNA / GNU vs. LNA (Haftar) + foreign backers (Turkey, UAE, Russia, Egypt) | Frozen | $8M/day | — | 2014-05-16 → 2020-10-23 | SIPRI; IISS; Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development |
| 🇸🇾Syrian Civil War Assad government + Russia + Iran vs. opposition + ISIS + U.S. coalition | Ended | $35M/day | — | 2011-03-15 → 2024-12-08 | SIPRI; Brown University Costs of War; Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; Watson Institute |
| 🇦🇫Afghanistan War (2011-2021) U.S. / NATO / Afghan forces vs. Taliban / al-Qaeda | Ended | $116M/day | — | 2011-01-01 → 2021-08-30 | Brown University Costs of War Project; SIGAR; Congressional Research Service; SIPRI |
| 🇦🇿Nagorno-Karabakh Wars Azerbaijan (+ Turkey) vs. Armenia / Artsakh forces | Ended | $12M/day | — | 2020-09-27 → 2023-09-19 | SIPRI; IISS; Armenian and Azerbaijani defense ministry budget data; Reuters |
| 🇮🇶War Against ISIS (Iraq/Syria) U.S.-led coalition + Iraq + Kurdish forces vs. Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) | Ended | $25M/day | — | 2014-06-10 → 2019-03-23 | Pentagon Cost of War reports; Congressional Research Service; Watson Institute; Defense One |
| 🇳🇬Nigeria / Boko Haram + ISWAP Nigeria + MNJTF vs. Boko Haram / ISWAP | Active | $3M/day | $500M | 2009-07-26 | SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2020–2024 (Nigeria defense spending: $2.57B 2020, $4.47B 2021, $3.11B 2022, $3.2B 2023); ISS Africa — conflict financing analysis; Ecofin Agency (SIPRI Nigeria +56% YoY 2021); ACLED Nigeria country data; CFR Boko Haram's Deadly Impact; Euronews (Apr 13, 2026 — up to 200 civilians killed in Nigerian Air Force 'misfire' on market in Yobe state); Amnesty International (Apr 13, 2026 — at least 100 killed in airstrike on village near Borno-Yobe border); Alexa.ng (Apr 2026 — Boko Haram attack on Monguno outpost: Army Colonel and dozens of soldiers dead); Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation (Apr 15, 2026 — government on Jilli axis airstrike of April 11); PM News Nigeria (Apr 15, 2026 — Jilli axis designated major terrorist corridor); National Accord Newspaper (Apr 2026 — FG explains Jilli airstrike, orders independent probe); New Dawn Nigeria (Apr 13, 2026 — Jilli market airstrike: military action was necessary, says Buratai); Federal High Court Abuja (Apr 2026 — 386 convictions from 508 terrorism-related cases); Global Centre for R2P Nigeria 2026; HRW World Report 2026 Nigeria; International Christian Concern (Mar 30, 2026 — Palm Sunday attacks); Critical Threats (Feb 5, 2026 — Boko massacre in Nigeria); Soufan Center (May 21, 2025 — ISWAP tactical evolution) |
| 🇸🇴Somalia / Al-Shabaab War Somalia + AU Mission (AMISOM/ATMIS/AUSSOM) + U.S. vs. Al-Shabaab | Active | $2M/day | $2B | 2007-03-06 | ISS Africa (ATMIS annual cost $1.5B in 2023); IPI — Lessons from AMISOM (2019, initial budget $622M); EU Commission (€4.3B committed since 2007); IPI Global Observatory — AUSSOM $196M 2025 budget; CFR Global Conflict Tracker; ACLED Somalia; VOA — Al-Shabaab 4,000+ civilian deaths; AFRICOM press release (Apr 9, 2026 — airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab near Qalay, 131 km NW of Kismayo); AFRICOM press release (Apr 13, 2026 — further airstrike targeting Al-Shabaab); Al Jazeera (Apr 14, 2026 — Somalia reports hit on Al-Shabaab with international support); The Human Rights / Somalia (Apr 2026 — Al-Shabaab offensive in southern regions); AUSSOM (2025-2026 budget: $166.5M based on $828/troop reimbursement rate per UN SG report); UN Security Council (May 12, 2025 — failed to activate UNSC Res. 2719 for AUSSOM funding); The Human Rights Weekly (2026 — Al-Shabaab offensive 2026 update); Defcon Level (2026 — Somalia conflict & Al-Shabaab threat); Crisis Group (Apr 2026 — sustaining gains in Somalia's offensive); CTC West Point (Apr 2026 — Somalia at a crossroads); Anadolu Agency (Apr 2026 — heavy casualties Ethiopian peacekeepers) |
| 🇸🇸South Sudan Civil War SPLA / government forces (Kiir) + Uganda vs. SPLM-IO (Machar) + UNMISS (UN peacekeeping) | Ended | $4M/day | $90M | 2013-12-15 → 2020-02-22 | SIPRI (South Sudan military 2012: $612M / 8.4% GDP); CFR Global Conflict Tracker — South Sudan; CRS / FAS IN10975 (nearly 400,000 estimated dead); Watson Institute Costs of War; UNMISS budget data (~$1B/yr UN peacekeeping); UNHCR; OCHA |
| 🇲🇿Mozambique / Cabo Delgado Mozambique + Rwanda vs. Ansar al-Sunna (ISIS-Mozambique / al-Shabaab) | Active | $600,000/day | $200M | 2017-10-05 | ACLED / Club of Mozambique (6,515 deaths Mar 2026); ISS Africa — SAMIM withdrawal analysis (May 2024); ISS Africa — Rwanda withdrawal threat analysis (Apr 2026); EU Council European Peace Facility (€20M for RDF, Nov 2024 — top-up); Irish Times (Mar 19, 2026 — EU pulls Rwanda funding); DefenceWeb (Apr 2026 — lessons from withdrawal threat); Rwanda government statement (Apr 3, 2026 — 6,300 troops, 'solidarity not money'); fundsforNGOs (Apr 3, 2026 — withdrawal scenario analysis); US sanctions on Rwanda Defence Force (Mar 2, 2026); TotalEnergies LNG resumption (Jan 2026); Zitamar Conflict Monitor (Mar 23–Apr 5, 2026 — 3 events, 3 fatalities); ACLED Conflict Monitor Update (Apr 8, 2026); Plataformamedia.com (Mar 17, 2026 — EU to define new security support by May); Rwanda President Kagame / Jeune Afrique (Apr 3, 2026 — oil companies should pay for security); Mozambique Cabinet (Apr 8, 2026 — new counter-terrorism strategy promised); ACLED Mozambique Conflict Monitor (Apr 8, 2026 — ISM activity in Macomia and Muidumbe); Zitamar Mozambique Conflict Monitor (Mar 23–Apr 5, 2026); African Security Analysis (Apr 2026 — Mozambique renews Rwandan military partnership as Cabo Delgado insurgency escalates); UN OCHA (2026 — appealed for $348M for 1.1M affected); ACLED Cabo Ligado Monitor (Apr 2026); ISS Africa (Apr 2026 — Cabo Delgado insurgency persists amid failed military strategy); ADF Magazine (Oct 2025 — Cabo Delgado insurgency persists); The Workers' Rights (Apr 2026 — Cabo Delgado fishermen killings 2026 crisis) |
| 🇵🇰Pakistan–Afghanistan War 2026 Pakistan vs. Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) | Active | $5M/day | — | 2026-02-27 | Military.com (Feb 27, 2026 — Pakistan declares open war, airstrikes on Kabul and Kandahar); Geo.tv Operation Ghazab lil-Haq live updates; War on the Rocks (Mar 2026 — Can Pakistan's escalation compel a Taliban recalculation?); Pakistan Today (Mar 26, 2026 — Operation resumes, Torkham border reopens); Times of Islamabad (Mar 25, 2026 — Pakistan shifts battlefield strategy); Wikipedia — 2026 Afghanistan–Pakistan conflict; Al Jazeera (Mar 16, 2026 — Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of killing 400 in attack on Kabul hospital); NPR (Mar 18, 2026 — at least 400 dead in drug rehabilitation center strike in Kabul); UNAMA (Mar 16-18, 2026 — at least 143 killed confirmed at Omid Hospital); HRW (Mar 27, 2026 — Pakistan airstrike on Afghan medical facility unlawful); Washington Post / AP (Apr 1, 2026 — China hosts Pakistan-Afghanistan ceasefire talks in Urumqi); NPR (Apr 3, 2026 — Pakistan says new round of peace talks underway in China); UN OCHA Afghanistan Situation Update #3 (Apr 5, 2026 — 94,000+ displaced); Washington Post (Apr 8, 2026 — Afghanistan and Pakistan agree to ease tensions after China-hosted Urumqi talks); China MFA / Mao Ning (Apr 7, 2026 — all parties acknowledged terrorism is core issue); Dropsite News (Apr 9-10, 2026 — China brokers deal in Afghanistan-Pakistan war); Washington Times (Apr 14, 2026 — Pakistan's quiet military success); BAMF Briefing Notes CW16/2026 (Apr 2026 — Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict update); Wikipedia 2026 Afghanistan-Pakistan war (Apr 2026); OHCHR (Mar 2026 — Türk says Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict piles misery on misery); BAMF briefing notes CW 16/2026; Jurist (Mar 2026 — Pakistan declares open war against Afghanistan); OHCHR (Mar 2026 — Afghan-Pakistani border UN experts urgently call for lasting peace); OCHA Afghanistan Situation Update #3 (Apr 5, 2026) |
| 🇻🇪Venezuela / Operation Absolute Resolve United States vs. Venezuela (Maduro government / FANB loyalists) | Active | $31M/day | $2B | 2025-12-01 | CSIS (Feb 2026 — Cancian: $31M/day ongoing operations around Venezuela, $2.8M/day unbudgeted above baseline); Bloomberg (Feb 2026 — $3B spent mid-Nov 2025 to mid-Jan 2026; $20M/day peak for naval presence); Fortune (Jan 2026 — naval blockade $700M and rising at $9M/day); CNBC (Jan 7, 2026 — 100+ killed per Venezuelan Interior Minister); Washington Post (Jan 6, 2026 — ~75 killed, U.S. officials assess); NPR (Mar 2026 — ongoing); CFR Global Conflict Tracker — U.S. Confrontation with Venezuela; Al Jazeera (Jan 2026 — remote coercion); Airwars (Jan–Mar 2026 — civilian harm documentation); The Intercept (Jan 13, 2026 — SOUTHCOM civilian harm team gutted); Wikipedia — 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela; WOLA (Jan 2026 — international law analysis); GlobalSecurity.org — Operation Absolute Resolve; AS/COA (Jan 2026 — timeline of U.S. military ramp-up); Britannica (Apr 2026 — Operation Absolute Resolve update); Everbridge (2026 — Venezuela in flux after Operation Absolute Resolve) |
——
Notable Calibrations
Some conflicts require special explanation of how parameters were derived:
Operation Epic Fury (Iran, 2026)
Anchor of $11.5B calibrated so the formula returns the Middle East Monitor-cited figure of ~$27.5B at Day 32 (April 1, 2026): $11.5B + (32 × $500M) = $27.5B. The $500M/day sustained rate reflects the Penn Wharton Budget Model's post-Day-25 estimate as operations shifted to lower-cost munitions. The higher early rates ($1B+/day in the first 6 days per Pentagon/CSIS) are captured by the anchor.
Russia–Ukraine War
$825M/day is a combined figure: Russia ~$165B/yr (SIPRI/UkraineWorld 2026 defense budget of 14.9T roubles) + Ukraine ~$71B/yr + European military aid ~$65B/yr. The U.S. withdrew ~99% of direct military support in 2025. Anchor is $0 because a single blended daily rate is used from the Feb 24, 2022 start date.
Gaza / Middle East Wars
Anchor of $16B captures the Bank of Israel's confirmed ~$77B direct defense cost through the Oct 2025 ceasefire, net of the ongoing $100M/day ceasefire-phase rate. The pre-ceasefire rate has been reduced from earlier estimates that inadvertently double-counted Iran escalation costs now tracked separately under Op. Epic Fury.
The Twelve-Day War (June 2025)
Counter is frozen at June 25, 2025. Total of ~$18B over 12 days yields an average $1.5B/day. Anchor is $0 since the average rate × 12 days = $18B matches the source total. This operation served as the tactical blueprint for Op. Epic Fury (Feb 2026).
——
Update Cadence & Accuracy
Conflict parameters are reviewed and updated when credible new primary source data becomes available — typically when SIPRI releases annual data (April each year), when major government bodies publish new cost disclosures, or when significant operational changes alter spending rates.
All figures should be understood as orders-of-magnitude estimates, not precise accounting. Military expenditure data for active conflicts is frequently incomplete, classified, or subject to retrospective revision. The goal is accurate framing of the scale and relative magnitude of conflict costs, not audit-grade precision.
Discrepancies with other trackers often arise from different scope (e.g. including vs. excluding veteran care), different rate periods (early high-intensity vs. sustained phase), or political framing in the source material. ConflictCost.org aims for conservative, defensible estimates grounded in the most authoritative available data.
ConflictCost.org · Non-partisan · No advertising · Open methodology
← Back to Live Tracker