Eighteen American service members have been killed and over 500 injured in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran since major hostilities resumed early this month. U.S. Central Command reported that nearly 100 service members were wounded since July 7, just 17 days ago, though 96 percent have reportedly returned to duty. This mounting toll comes as President Donald Trump weighs a "massive attack" on Iran, a move he described as "bigger than ever before." He stated, "I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it."
The U.S. military completed its latest round of strikes on Iran late Thursday, marking a 13th consecutive night of American attacks. These strikes, lasting over two hours, targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities. The stated goal is to diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Mounting Costs, Dissenting Voices
Public support for the conflict is rapidly declining. A June poll by Reuters/Ipsos found only 24 percent of Americans believe the war has been worth its cost. A Reuters survey released last week indicated nearly 80 percent of respondents expect the U.S. military to remain engaged for an "extended period of time." Even within the president's base, a Politico poll earlier this week revealed nearly 1 in 5 MAGA voters want the U.S. to end the conflict regardless of the costs.
Despite this clear public sentiment, President Trump promised "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies after Yemeni fighters struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. This action extended the war into a second major shipping chokepoint. Trump has also threatened to target Iranian energy facilities and bridges, drawing warnings from Tehran that Iranian forces would target regional oil, gas, electricity, and economic facilities in retaliation. Iran has already blocked the Strait of Hormuz.
The Elite's War Agenda
Republican defense hawks in Congress are actively urging President Trump to unleash major combat operations. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) spoke to the president multiple times this week, encouraging him to "continue pounding the country." Wicker publicly and privately approved of "finishing the job," stating that "negotiations were getting us nowhere." He believes Iran has "no intention of negotiating in good faith or keeping a promise and that it’s pointless to pretend that they are a trustworthy negotiating party." Wicker added, "I believe we can keep the strait open on our terms, and that’s the key to a successful conclusion of hostilities."
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), vying for the House Armed Services Committee chair, insisted the U.S. military needs to "clobber Iran as hard as we possibly can right now." He advocated for "maximum pressure from the air and maximum security of the strait," demanding anything Iran could use to "cause problems in the strait needs to be destroyed." Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), a former Navy SEAL, praised Trump for using "massive bombing strikes" to bring Tehran to the negotiating table. He emphasized the goal: "to make sure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon ever." Van Orden warned that if Iran had a "nuclear umbrella" over the straits, it would become a "binary choice: nuclear war, which no one wants, or these radical Muslim mullahs having control over the Strait of Hormuz in perpetuity." He called those "unacceptable choices."
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a retired brigadier general, asserted Iran "needs to initiate peace," warning that if the U.S. does, "they’re going to think it’s weakness." He believes Tehran needs to be "crushed" militarily to force them to "stick their hand out to say please stop." Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), a former Marine helicopter pilot, advised Trump to trust his instincts on the matter, arguing that "regime change" in Iran is "the only thing that I think is going to solve this." McCormick claimed it "would be transformational to world politics" and "bring peace to the Middle East, which we haven’t had in my lifetime; it would literally reinforce the Abraham Accords."
Globalist Frameworks and Realities
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28, with Tehran responding by striking Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed thousands and displaced millions. International law experts in the U.S. warned in April that Trump's threats to attack sites essential for civilians could amount to war crimes, citing the 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war. Trump's previous threat that month to destroy Iran's "entire civilization" also drew wide condemnation.
Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), criticized Trump’s Operation Epic Fury and worked to halt U.S. military operations through war powers resolutions. Sherman, while stating the Strait of Hormuz must be a free shipping lane, admitted he had "no idea what steps are necessary to achieve that goal." He also suggested Iran’s electrical generation facilities could be "legitimate military targets" to the extent that they provide power to the Iranian military or to weapons manufacturing facilities. The U.S. has surged firepower to the Middle East, sending F-35s and F-16 fighter jets, with C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft flying from Germany to Israel and Jordan last week. More than 150 medics recently arrived at Germany’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a U.S. Army post near Ramstein Air Base.