Flagship newsletter icon
From Semafor Flagship
In your inbox, every weekday
Sign up

Political, military costs of the US’ war in Iran become clearer

Sep 17, 2026, 6:41am EDT
PostEmailWhatsapp
US fighter jets sit on the flight deck of the USS George Washington in the Arabian Sea.
Ed Ou/Reuters

The mounting political, economic, and military costs of the Iran war for the US came into clearer view.

Barely a third of Americans support the conflict, and most say it has failed to achieve its goals, surveys showed, further hurting Republicans’ prospects for retaining control of Congress.

In part, that opposition is driven by the war’s impact on government and personal finances: A recent study showed that Americans have spent about $107 billion more on fuel since the war broke out than they otherwise would have.

Militarily, the US is draining its stockpiles of missile interceptors, while photos obtained by CBS News showcased the extent of the damage to US Middle East military installations as a result of Iranian attacks.

AD