The U.S. military deployed a B-1 long-range bomber on Tuesday to strike Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran, marking an escalation in a conflict that has already cost U.S. taxpayers $37.5 billion and driven up gas prices. This mission was the first use of a B-1 bomber since fighting with Iran resumed 12 days ago. The aircraft, capable of carrying two dozen 2,000-lb. bombs or dozens of cruise missiles, launched from a UK airbase.
U.S. Central Command stated its assets targeted "Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure." The stated purpose was to "further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." Reuters reported that U.S. forces completed their latest round of strikes on Wednesday at President Donald Trump's direction, marking a 12th successive night of American attacks. These latest strikes lasted five hours, targeting Iranian military sites including missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets.
Imperial Ambition and Capital's Cost
Reuters reported the Iran war began on February 28 when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, prompting Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. Since then, U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions. U.S. troop deaths have risen to 18 in recent days. President Trump vowed on Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, echoing previous threats to target energy plants and bridges. Iran's joint military command warned it would target regional oil, gas, electricity, and economic facilities if such threats were carried out.
International law experts in the United States stated in April that Trump's threats to attack sites essential for civilians may amount to war crimes, citing the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Trump's earlier threat to destroy Iran's entire civilization drew wide condemnation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators on Tuesday that the U.S. had spent $37.5 billion on the war so far. Gas prices have spiked again as the two countries clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical choke point for global commercial shipping.
The State's Symbolic Resistance
The House of Representatives narrowly passed a resolution on Thursday to halt U.S. military action in Iran, with a 214-208 vote requiring congressional approval for the war. This marked the second time the House sent a warning to President Trump as the conflict escalated. The Senate is expected to consider a similar resolution. Democrats, who forced these votes, acknowledge they are largely symbolic, intended as a signal that support for the Republican president is eroding. Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat leading the resolution, stated the war had "no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal."
The resolution passed after a handful of Republicans voted with Democrats. The vast majority of Republicans voted to back the war, ceding congressional war powers to Trump. Trump has insisted that continued U.S. attacks do not mean a return to war. After the first House vote in early June, he called it "unpatriotic" and "meaningless." Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., read the names of the 18 service members killed, stating, "To belittle this mission is to belittle and demean the very service these members gave their life for." New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the panel, called it "an illegal unauthorized war that the American people don't want."
Public Discontent, Political Maneuvers
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, leading the Senate effort, noted the combination of hearings, new American casualties, and rising costs made accountability important, calling it a "very unpopular war." Republicans on Capitol Hill privately questioned the administration's handling of the conflict, yet faced political costs for voting against it. Trump labeled four Republicans who voted with Democrats in June as "GRANDSTANDERS!" and "losers," claiming they preferred the country to fail rather than give him a victory. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost his Senate seat after Trump endorsed an opponent, directly challenged Trump, demanding more details about the conflict. Cassidy, after a one-on-one meeting with the White House, changed his vote in a late-night do-over.
Recent polling shows most Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the situation. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted in July found few Americans believe the war has been worth fighting. Most are not confident that military action and negotiations will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. While about two-thirds of Republicans approve of Trump's handling, and six in ten think the war is worth fighting, approximately one-third of Republicans remain unconvinced.