In its first six days, the Iran war has racked up a staggering $11.3 billion, Defense Department officials recently told lawmakers. The confidential estimate, shared behind closed doors, left some senators reeling and raised questions about the conflict’s accelerating costs.

Germany is set to break with decades of minimal defense investment by doubling its military budget. Chancellor Friedrich Merz seeks to build Europe’s strongest armed forces, raising questions about the best ways to allocate this historic funding.