America has spent £8.5BILLION waging war on ISIS jihadis… and here’s exactly where it went
Figures released by the country's defence department revealed 22% of the overall cost - or £3.3 billion - had been spent on dropping bombs on Syria and Iraq alone
THE COST of America's war on ISIS has now hit more than £8.5 billion ($11 billion) since the conflict began more than two and a half years ago.
Figures released by the country's defence department revealed 22% of the overall cost - or £1.8 billion - had been spent on dropping bombs on Syria and Iraq alone.
The Pentagon said it paid £3.3 billion to keep fighter jets flying in the air between August 2014 and December 2016, while military ships cost £18 million.
It paid staff £67 million in that time while mission support and logistical support came at a £4.5 billion combined charge.
The Air Force is the service costing the US defence department the most at £5.3 billion - 63% of its overall outgoings.
The Army is the next biggest expense at £1.4 billion, followed by the Navy at £950 million and the US Special Operations Command, which cost £680 million.
Stats also released showed the number of targets damaged or destroyed since the war broke out in 2014.
Nearly 8,000 buildings were hit while 164 tanks were destroyed in the conflict.
Air strikes have also targeted more than 2,500 oil infrastructure and a large number of tankers.
Operation Inherent Resolve has carried out more than 17,500 air strikes in coalition with other countries since the war began.
Iraq has had 10,907 bombs dropped and Syria struck by 6,647 between August 8 2014 and January 16 this year, according to the figures.
The Pentagon said the UK had joined in eight airstrikes in Iraq and 11 in Syria.
US and partner-nation aircraft have flown an estimated 134,933 sorties in support of operations in Iraq and Syria since the war began.
The US-led coalition launched one of its largest airstrikes against ISIS near Palmyra in Syria last month, where 168 enemy oil tankers were hit.
The following day more than 20 more were destroyed in the same area.
The Islamic State has lost roughly half the territory it had seized in both Syria and Iraq since 2014, according to reports.
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