US Concludes 11th Iran Strikes as Tehran Hits Gulf Bases, War Cost Reaches $37.5 Billion
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 22
US Concludes 11th Iran Strikes as Tehran Hits Gulf Bases, War Cost Reaches $37.5 Billion
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 22
Summary
CENTCOM said it ended a 11th straight night of strikes at 00:15 GMT, targeting Iranian operations centers, drone storage, aircraft hangars and logistics sites across Khuzestan, Tabriz, Bushehr, Sistan and Baluchestan, Hamadan, Ilam and Kurdistan.
Iran answered with drone attacks on US-linked military targets in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, with the IRGC saying its operation to “punish the aggressor” would continue.
The Pentagon also updated a US soldier missing after Iran’s July 17 strike on Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Airbase to believed dead, raising US military deaths in the war since February 28 to 18.
Pete Hegseth told senators the war has cost $37.5 billion so far and asked for another $67 billion to refill missile stocks, while Marco Rubio said Washington remains open to negotiations if Tehran is serious.
The widening conflict is also hitting trade routes: two Saudi crude tankers bound for Asia turned back in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, adding to Hormuz disruptions.
With costs nearing $100 billion, what is the defined American endgame for the war with Iran?
Are cheap drones and missiles making traditional military superiority obsolete in the conflict with Iran?
As naval blockades cripple two major sea lanes, is the world on the brink of a supply chain crisis?
The 2026 US-Iran Conflict: Military Escalation, Humanitarian Fallout, and Global Economic Disruption
Overview
As of July 23, 2026, the US-Iran conflict has escalated beyond direct confrontations, with Iranian missiles entering Jordanian airspace and being intercepted by Jordan’s air defense system. This incident, which followed an earlier Iranian strike that killed two US personnel, highlights both the immediate human toll and the widening regional scope of the conflict. Although the missile attack on Jordan did not cause injuries or damage, it underscores the growing risks to regional security and the increasing involvement of neighboring countries, reflecting a clear pattern of escalation and the complex, multi-layered nature of the ongoing crisis.