The War with Iran started on 2/28. At that time, Trump said it would last 2 weeks, and then he said 4-6 weeks and now the War appears to be continuing on indefinitely. He is also asking for a major budget increase for the Pentagon and a military draft.

There were several reasons given for the war by the Trump administration. Initially, it was to replace Khameini, but 80% of the population is Shiite so the Iranian reaction was mixed, and the old regime is still in power. Marco Rubio said it was to prevent retaliation from Iran for Israeli bombing which they started without approval from the US. Joe Kent (Intel head) resigned since he believes that an attack from Iran was not imminent and Trump was pressured by Israel (further amplifying Rubio’s explanation). There was talk about further reducing Nuclear capabilities, but that would need troops on the ground since the Uranium is buried in the mountains.

Since 2/28, thousands of targets in Iran were bombed by the US and Israel, and Israel bombed Lebanon as well. Hegseth claims that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely reduced, and Israel claims that Iran’s uranium enrichment program has been destroyed although most of the Uranium remains buried deep under mountains. During this war, a Girls school in Iran was bombed and 165 were killed by a US missile.

Iran has bombed targets in Israel and around Iran with missile and drones, 3 Amazon data centers in Kuwait, 3 F15s were downed in Kuwait without signs of a missile strike (possibly non-kinetic), the US embassy in Kuwait was bombed, and the Straight of Hormuz which transports 20% of the worlds oil supply has been closed by Iran by mine laying and ship bombing.

There has been reports of cyber attacks by both sides during this conflict. Supply chains have been disrupted and Oil and Fertilizer prices are soaring, and there is the potential for further destabilization of the Middle East if water desalinization is disrupted.

Trump has asked US allies for help reopening the straight of Hormuz but they have refused, likely because they feel the war is unjustified or unlikely to be successful, or that he reduced assistance to Ukraine/NATO, threatened to takeover Greenland and Canada, and implemented tariffs worldwide.

Hegseth framed the war in Iran as a holy war between good and evil. This is disturbing since the Pope himself has stated that God deplores war and that people of all religions are free to practice as they see fit without recrimination. In addition, the US is not a secular state and freedom of Religion is guaranteed under the first amendment.

Trump threatened to bomb Iran into the stone ages, including civilian infrastructure. This is a war crime and is not how America has behaved in the past and it should be avoided. This is similar to how Putin has conducted war in Ukraine and why he is considered a pariah around the world.

Trump has now asked for $1.5T for the Pentagon for 2026 (60% over their annual budget) which is a significant increase in militarization and Hegseth fired a number of top Generals for not supporting Trumps war doctrine (likely because they refused to commit war crimes). Trumps approval ratings continue to drop as Americans do not believe the Iranian war was justified. Is Congress going to intervene or roll-over as usual?

A ceasefire was declared on 4/8 and both sides met in Pakistan to discuss terms but it ended without an agreement since the US requested that Iran abandon its nuclear enrichment program and open the straight, and Iran saw this as infringing on their rights. As a result, Trump ordered a blockade of the Straight of Hormuz which could block all ships through the straight, further impacting world trade, oil prices and other commodities like fertilizer.

On 4/23, the Secretary of the Navy was let go for undisclosed reasons. The 60 day limit on the President requiring Congressional approval for War has come, but the ceasefire appears to be holding although the blockade of the Straight of Hormuz persists.