The cost of military operations in Iraq and Syria to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is growing as Department of Defense (DoD) operations continue and expand.

The Pentagon announced a few weeks ago that the cost of the operations in Iraq were averaging $7.5 million dollars per day. Since then the air operations have been expanded to include strikes against ISIL forces in Syria and costs have increased. The U.S. and its partners have conducted 43 air strikes against ISIL forces in Syria, according to Hagel.

Last week, in a news conference Defense Secretary Hagel said the cost of DoD’s operations is now running between $7 and $10 million per day. A study prepared by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment (CSBA) estimated that DoD spent between $780 and $930 million through September 24.

Secretary Hagel stressed that the costs for these operations are being funded from the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) appropriations provided by Congress for FY2015.

Hagel also underscored that the U.S. is not acting alone in this effort. “A broad coalition has been and will continue to be a cornerstone of our strategy against ISI, he said.

But, he warned, the “diplomatic economic and military campaign will require a long-term commitment from the United States and all of our partners and allies.” “We are at the beginning, not the end of our effort to degrade and destroy ISIL” he cautioned. And, he said, the costs of ongoing operations will “require additional funding from Congress.” He said the administration is working with Congress to determine the source of this funding.

Some members of Congress have been calling for hearings to assess the cost as well as a debate on the goals and strategy underlying military operations against ISIL. However, the full Congress does not return until after the November elections so these hearings and congressional debate will probably not happen until mid-November.