US Fails to Secure Decisive Iran Victory After 13,000 Strikes as War Costs Reach $104.5 Billion
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Aug 11
US Fails to Secure Decisive Iran Victory After 13,000 Strikes as War Costs Reach $104.5 Billion
1 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Aug 11
Summary
Six months into the Iran war, the US has not forced a decisive outcome despite more than 13,000 strikes, the destruction of much of Iran’s air force and navy, and severe damage to its economy.
Hardliners still hold power, ceasefire talks have stalled, Iran continues missile attacks and regional support operations, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea remains under threat.
18 US service members have been killed, at least 624 wounded, and 42 aircraft lost or damaged, including four F-15s, one F-35, one E-3 and more than 20 Reapers.
Pentagon operations have cost $37.5 billion, rebuilding depleted stockpiles another $67 billion, and damaged regional installations may add $5 billion more; Moody’s says the war could cost a typical US household $1,000.
Polling shows most Americans disapprove of the war, but limited public backlash and steady markets suggest the bigger test for any shift in US warfighting doctrine may come in the November midterm elections.
Despite overwhelming military dominance, how does Iran's shift to economic disruption redefine the true meaning of victory in modern warfare?
As global shipping and cloud networks become new battlegrounds, are traditional high-tech military strikes becoming obsolete in achieving political control?
With inspectors expelled and facilities destroyed, could the massive military campaign have inadvertently accelerated a hidden nuclear weaponization program?