In the span of weeks, the United States has entered a conflict in the Middle East and forever altered its relationship with the region moving forward.

The U.S. and Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Iran February 28, killing their supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and effectively declaring war. This operation was titled “Operation Epic Fury,” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio citing the need to eliminate Iran’s “imminent threat” of their short-range ballistic missiles, navy, and nuclear capabilities. 

Since the attack, CBS News reported that an intelligence source revealed 40 Iranian officials were killed in the air strike, along with an estimated 5,300 Iranian military personnel who were also killed in the initial attacks.

Before the attacks in February, tensions had already been building between the United States, Israel, and Iran. In 2024, direct missile exchanges between Iran and Israel created significant tension, marking a historic escalation as the previous conflicts between the two countries had been fought indirectly through proxy groups. 

Then in 2025, the United States initially began talks with Iran over its nuclear program, which ultimately resulted in the United States pursuing further action and joining Israel in direct strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025. This was in an effort to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities, with the Trump administration ultimately citing the attacks as a military success, and with President Donald Trump describing the facilities as “completely and totally obliterated” June 21 during a televised address at the White House. This would be the United States first direct strike against Iran since 2020.

Here are some major consequences of this conflict. 

First, the Iran war causes a major humanitarian crisis across the Middle East. 

Since the attack, one of the first immediate effects felt was the humanitarian consequences that began to spread across the region. Families have been forced to flee their homes in regions across the Middle East, which has led to familial separation, a loss of housing, hunger, instability, and interruptions in education, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

These consequences illustrate the costs of war—that the ramifications of airstrikes are not always just geopolitical, but deeply impactful for everyday citizens. If the United States continues to wage what prominent political figures like Kamala Harris and democratic analysts have labeled a “War of Choice,” there threatens to be disastrous consequences in the future landscape of the entire Middle Eastern region. 

Second, oil and grocery prices surge and create major problems for Americans.

Additionally, this war poses serious threats to American soil, especially concerning the overall economy. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes, have caused diesel prices to surge across the globe, according to the World Road Transit Organization. Rising oil prices not only create a burden for families, but also present undue stress on students and staff who commute to work or school. Higher gas prices also create higher transportation costs for goods, causing grocery expenses to increase, especially with items like produce and perishable items. 

Apart from the United States, the rest of the globe is also feeling the effects of the war, with the United Nations reporting that global food prices have increased by 2.4 percent, leading to significant concern for food security worldwide. 

Third, democratic institutions in America are called into question. 

Critics of the president and even his former supporters have also called into question the rash decision-making within the American government.  The military strikes, which effectively declared war, were authorized by the president, not Congress. In Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the sole power to declare war.

According to CNN polling taken in early April, 59 percent of Americans disapprove of the Iran strikes, with most believing this will lead to a long-term conflict. 

Critics have questioned the ramifications of a president’s power to call for a war, both without congressional backing or public debate. Rash militant decisions that create strain on the broader economy and social aspects of a nation lead to a lack of trust in democratic institutions and a broader disconnect for the American people. 

In a post on Truth Social Tuesday, President Trump threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if Iran fails to concede to a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. 

Although a tentative two-week ceasefire has now been enacted, the conflict remains precarious, with Iranian officials already concerned that the U.S. has violated the agreement only a day into the ceasefire. 

While the pause offers temporary respite, the damage caused to oil markets, civilian displacement, and democratic institutions will leave an irreparable mark on the United States and the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East forever.