Iran Conflict Escalates as Trump Downplays Significance
The Iran conflict continues to escalate despite President Donald Trump's characterization of it as 'small potatoes'.
This weekend, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that a further U.S. attack would result in a 'faster, heavier and more painful' response.
The latest exchange began when the U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, permanently disabling two and destroying another.
The strikes were retaliation for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps firing ballistic missiles toward a U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer.
The conflict has killed 18 U.S. service members and wounded over 750 since it began on February 28, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimating the war has cost the United States at least $37.5 billion.