Trump declares US success in Iran war amid mounting expert doubts

During a Washington event on July 23, President Trump claimed the United States was succeeding dramatically in its war against Iran, repeating the sentiment in a later tele-rally for a Wisconsin candidate. The conflict, which started on Feb. 28, has cost at least $37.5 billion in direct military outlays and resulted in 18 American fatalities and 624 injuries. While US strikes have degraded Iran's conventional air defenses, naval assets and senior military figures, Tehran continues to employ inexpensive drones and missiles from within its borders.

Analysts argue that the war has not delivered core goals such as toppling the regime or fully dismantling the nuclear program, and they warn that Iran's ability to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz poses new strategic challenges. The overall assessment from foreign-policy scholars is that, even if hostilities ceased today, the United States would face a strategic defeat by its own standards.