US-Iran military conflict

The United States military engaged in a large-scale conflict against Iran under the designation ‘Operation Epic Fury’. The operation involved the deployment of over 50,000 service members to the Central Command region and the enforcement of a maritime blockade. By September 2026, CENTCOM reported redirecting 105 commercial vessels to ensure compliance, with the USS Boxer conducting flight operations in the Arabian Sea.

The conflict resulted in significant costs, with a Pentagon Inspector General report estimating expenditures of approximately $38 billion as of August 1, 2026. This included over $22 billion for munitions, raising concerns about ammunition stockpiles and the defense industrial base’s ability to sustain precision-guided weapon consumption. The operation also saw 18 U.S. service members killed and hundreds wounded, while Iranian strikes and proxy attacks targeted U.S. facilities across eight countries.

Following the conclusion of the operation on May 5, the Pentagon directed personnel to cease using the ‘Operation Epic Fury’ designation. Military communications shifted to broader terminology, such as ‘overseas operations in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.’ Subsequent military actions have been characterized as Freedom of Navigation operations and strikes intended to reduce threats to American forces and commercial shipping posed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.