Two Months Into Trump’s War on Iran, Only Losers Remain

When Donald Trump launched his war on Iran, he boasted that the United States had “already won the war in many ways” within just ten days. Now, two months later, the conflict has ground to a halt with no clear end in sight—and no clear winners.

The biggest losers are the people caught in the crossfire. In Iran, more than 3,600 people have died in US and Israeli strikes, including over 1,700 civilians, according to the Human Rights Activists in Iran group. Trump’s threats to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” have fueled a brutal crackdown by the regime, which has executed over 600 people this year and imposed an internet blackout lasting more than eight weeks. The Iranian economy is collapsing, pushing millions into poverty.

Lebanon’s civilians are also paying the price. After Israel assassinated Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hezbollah retaliated, sparking Israeli airstrikes that have killed more than 2,500 Lebanese and displaced 600,000 people. Satellite images reveal Israel razing entire villages in southern Lebanon, echoing its devastating tactics in Gaza.

Gulf countries like the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, and Kuwait, which tried to avoid this war, have been dragged in. The UAE faces repeated missile and drone attacks, threatening its role as a regional business hub. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has crippled Gulf economies reliant on oil exports, with the IMF forecasting economic contraction and slashed growth projections.

Americans are not spared either. Rising gasoline prices and inflation—up to 3.3% in March—are hitting wallets hard. Consumer confidence is tanking as fuel surcharges become common and the US remains heavily dependent on oil while underinvesting in renewable energy.

The global economy is reeling. Inflation is now expected to rise to 4.4% worldwide, up from earlier forecasts, while growth projections have been downgraded. Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe all face economic shocks, with the poorest countries suffering the most from soaring food and fertilizer prices.

Melanie Sisson of the Brookings Institute sums it up bluntly: “There aren’t any real winners from the war.” Instead, Trump’s reckless gamble has unleashed a widening quagmire that drags in innocent civilians, regional neighbors, and global consumers alike—while failing to deliver any strategic gains for Washington.

This is the true cost of Trump’s war on Iran: a world where almost everybody loses.