The United States has spent about $424 million fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) since an air campaign against the terror group began Aug. 8.
The Hill reports that Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said Operation Inherent Resolve is costing about $7.6 million each day.
The campaign has included more than 360 airstrikes on ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria.
The White House
has said the offensive is working, but critics say ground troops are needed to truly make a dent in stopping ISIS as it takes over cities in the Middle East. The Pentagon's
top brass has hinted at using ground troops if airstrikes are not effective enough.
So far, however, the campaign has consisted of bombing runs and missile strikes.
The American public has called for ground troops, according to
recent polls.
Other polls have shown just 15 percent of Americans think the U.S. is winning the war to defeat ISIS.
Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported the military had spent
up to $1.1 billion through September on the campaign, which actually began in June. The military, according to that report, has spent anywhere from $7 million to $10 million every day.
That earlier price tag included 185 munitions dropped from U.S. Navy aircraft, 47 cruise missiles launched from ships in the region, and nearly 1,000 munitions dropped from Air Force aircraft.
The AP report said the price tag shot up in September, when strikes on targets in Syria began.
Despite what the Obama administration has called progress in the fight against ISIS, the group is advancing on Baghdad. Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North said Monday night his sources inside Iraq think ISIS
will attack the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital.
"They are at the gates of Baghdad. They're coming for us," North said.
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