Trump says "a little more than I thought" about US military use in Iran conflict

Five months into the U.S.-led conflict with Iran that began in late February alongside Israel, President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated as the fighting escalates and American casualties mount—the death toll has reached 18, including four recent soldiers. At a July 23 Environmental Protection Agency event, Trump acknowledged that the military has been deployed more extensively than he anticipated. The war, which his administration initially predicted would be brief, has instead become a grinding stalemate, driving oil prices above $100 a barrel and threatening Republican prospects in the November midterm elections, with Democrats opening an 11-point lead in a generic-ballot poll. Trump has expressed skepticism about returning to negotiations after a ceasefire collapsed and has reportedly shifted toward seeking retaliation against Iran, though his options remain constrained.