A New York Times report suggests that potential military action by Trump against Iran could result in significantly higher casualties for American forces compared to last year's conflict.
As President Donald Trump considers military strikes against Iran, a report from the New York Times indicates that a full-scale confrontation could lead to more severe casualties for U.S. forces than the 12-day war experienced last year. According to the report, should the U.S. engage in direct military action, Iran's retaliation could inflict heavy losses on the approximately 30,000 to 40,000 American troops stationed at 13 military bases across the Middle East, significantly increasing the likelihood of American casualties, especially if Iran launches a surprise attack.
The report highlights the differences between the current situation and the previous incident in which Iran notified the U.S. of its retaliatory strikes against the Al Udeid military base in Qatar prior to the attack, which helped de-escalate tensions at the time. According to a senior U.S. Defense Department official, the circumstances may not be comparable this time, hinting at a potentially more volatile situation that could exacerbate conflicts in the region.
In response to the perceived threat from Iran's military capabilities, the U.S. has reportedly amassed its largest air force deployment in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War. Catherine Thompson, a researcher at the Cato Institute who previously served as a senior policy official within the defense department during the Trump administration, remarked that the current military maneuvers seem to be preparing for a prolonged conflict, which could pose a severe threat to U.S. military bases in the region.
