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$38.1 billion. That is the latest estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office for what the U.S. Department of Defense had spent on combat operations against Iran through August 1, 2026. That figure is higher than the earlier $33.4 billion estimate released by the Pentagon's inspector general, which covered costs through late June. The number matters on its own. What makes it more significant is what is happening at the same time roughly 1,000 miles away: Houthi forces have expanded their position along Yemen's Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia has been working to restore oil-export infrastructure after a September drone attack, and crude prices remain elevated as several regional supply routes face pressure. Inside the Pentagon's $33.4 Billion Bill The inspector general's report, the first mandatory public accounting of Operation Epic Fury, breaks the earlier number down in useful detail. The Department of War estimated the operation at $33.4 billion as of June ...

  Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has used the six-month mark of the war with the United States and Israel to make a direct political appeal to Gulf rulers, calling on Muslim countries to identify what he described as their “real enemy” and confront it through greater unity, cooperation and mutual defense. The written message, published on August 30 for Islamic Unity Week, is Khamenei's first major statement of this kind since the airstrikes that injured him and killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, six months earlier. "Reuters"  The timing matters because Iran's confrontation has become much larger than the battlefield. The war has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushed energy costs higher, damaged regional infrastructure and exposed tensions between Iran and the Gulf Arab states that share the strategic environment around the Persian Gulf. At the same time, the conflict has produced economic effects that are ver...

Six months after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has used a written message to urge Muslim countries — particularly Gulf states — to unite against what he described as their “real enemy.” The message comes at a moment when Iran remains locked in a prolonged confrontation, the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting global energy flows and the economic consequences of the war are being distributed very unevenly, with households and travelers absorbing higher costs while some investors and defense-related businesses have benefited. (Reuters)  Khamenei's August 30 message was issued for Islamic Unity Week and marked his first major public statement of this kind since he was injured in the February 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He called for greater cooperation and mutual defense among Muslim states and questioned whether the suffering of Palestinians could have been red...

Nearly six months after Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran’s supreme leader, the country is being governed by a leader who has yet to make a public appearance in his new position. He has not been seen or heard by Iranians in a public setting since the February 28 attacks that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and triggered the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Iranian officials maintain that Mojtaba Khamenei remains in charge and continues to make important decisions, but the absence of a verified photograph, video or audio appearance has intensified questions about his health, his working arrangements and how power is being exercised in Tehran. Reuters   The distinction between what is known and what is rumored is particularly important. Reuters reported that Iranian officials and other senior sources say Khamenei is still exercising authority from a secure location while recovering from serious injuries suffered at the beginning of the war. At the same tim...

  The six-month U.S.-Iran war has entered a more complicated phase, with military confrontation easing in some areas while diplomatic efforts intensify around the unresolved crisis over the Strait of Hormuz. On August 27, 2026, Qatar's prime minister was preparing to visit Tehran as part of a renewed mediation effort, while Iran and Oman continued working on a temporary maritime framework for commercial shipping through Hormuz. At the same time, Washington has shifted significant attention toward economic pressure and sanctions rather than announcing a return to a full-scale military campaign. The apparent contradiction is central to understanding the current crisis. The reduction in major U.S.-Iran attacks has created space for diplomacy, but the underlying disputes remain unresolved. Iran continues to demand conditions surrounding sanctions, maritime control and the broader security environment, while the United States wants reliable freedom of navigation and a settlement address...