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Bill, fuel, and deaths
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress the US government has spent an estimated $37.5 billion to date on the Iran war and requested an additional $67 billion in emergency funding.
“spent an estimated $37.5 billion to date on the Iran war”
Mother Jones said Americans have already paid more than $75 billion in additional gasoline and diesel costs—more than $570 per household—since the war began, citing a live tracker from Brown University’s Climate Solutions Lab.
The same Mother Jones account said at least 18 US service members have been killed and more than 100 wounded, while human rights groups have documented at least 1,700 civilian deaths in Iran.
The Washington Post framed the same conflict as approaching six months of war with Iran, with costs to taxpayers and consumers continuing to grow as lawmakers wrangle over a plan to pay the bill.
Both outlets tied the economic strain to disruptions connected to the Strait of Hormuz, with the Washington Post saying allies press for a deal to open it.
Unions and public pressure
The Guardian reported that trade unions urged Andy Burnham to tackle the cost of living crisis by pressuring Donald Trump to bring the conflict in the Middle East swiftly to an end.
In a letter to Burnham, the general secretaries of 10 UK trade unions representing more than 2.3 million workers said the war was “deepening the cost of living crisis faced by our members and the British public,” and they demanded Burnham revoke permission for the US to use RAF bases to launch airstrikes on Iran.
The Guardian also quoted Miliband after meeting Rubio, saying, “We did not join offensive action in this war,” while adding that the government’s priority was “find that lasting ceasefire.”
A Reuters/Ipsos poll cited by صـوت بيروت إنترناشونال said 58% of Americans expected gas prices to rise as a result of the conflict, while only 35% supported the war.
That same Reuters/Ipsos poll said 50% of participants believed US military action would destabilize the region over the next year, versus only 17% who saw the war bringing more stability.
Markets, companies, and policy
MarketScale reported that Procter & Gamble anticipates a financial impact of $1 billion due to the conflict in Iran and guided adjusted earnings per share for fiscal 2027 to growth ranging from flat to 3%.
“anticipates a financial impact of $1 billion due to the conflict in Iran”
MarketScale said P&G’s fiscal 2027 guidance implies earnings of approximately $7 at the midpoint, and it reported that fourth-quarter net profit fell to $3.04 billion.
The same MarketScale account said P&G shares dropped roughly 4% to $143.20 on the morning of the announcement.
In the UK political debate, Al-Arabiya via القدس العربي said Republicans were concerned about White House guidance on fuel prices and the Iran war, and it quoted a House member asking, “Yes, it’s the gas and food prices and the war—is that surprising?”
Across Asia, Bloomberg’s Asia Today reported Brent crude rose toward $84 per barrel, surpassing its pre-war level of $71, as Tehran sought to prevent US ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz under an agreement with Oman.
