Trump: Iran war could last a month; 3 US troops killed
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- Trump told the Daily Mail the Iran war is "always been a four-week process," while the US military said it has struck over 1,000 Iranian targets since Saturday—including B-2 stealth bombers dropping 2,000-pound bombs on hardened underground missile facilities—and destroyed nine Iranian warships.
- The US military reported its first combat casualties of Trump's second term: three troops killed and five seriously wounded at a base in Kuwait, with Trump warning "there will likely be more before it ends" and vowing to "avenge their deaths."
- Israel declared aerial superiority over Tehran and struck intelligence, security, and military command centers; an Israeli official said the current focus is to "undermine the Iranian government so that it collapses," with Israel acting to push Iranians into the streets.
- Iran retaliated by hitting three US and UK oil tankers in the Gulf and striking bases in Kuwait and Bahrain with drones and missiles, while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20% of world oil supplies pass—sent hundreds of vessels dropping anchor nearby.
- The killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei a day earlier triggered a temporary leadership council of President Pezeshkian, the judiciary head, and a Guardian Council member, with Foreign Minister Araghchi posting that "bombings in our capital have no impact on our ability to conduct war."
- Trump simultaneously called on Iranians to topple their government and said Iran's new leadership wants talks, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed only about 25% of Americans approve of the operation, and Senator Lindsey Graham rejected the "you break it, you own it" doctrine on NBC, calling Iran "not Iraq, not Germany, not Japan."
Why it matters: With the Strait of Hormuz closed and roughly 20% of world oil supplies potentially disrupted, the source notes US consumers will "start to feel the pressure on prices at the pumps" if the blockade persists beyond a few days. Politically, Trump is waging a multi-week campaign that only about 25% of Americans currently support, months before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress—while Israeli officials are openly stating the goal is regime collapse in Tehran.
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