“It takes money to kill bad guys,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said as he sought $200 billion in funding for the Iran war in March. But the cost far exceeds money.
HUMAN COST
175
Number of Iranians killed in the February 28 US missile strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school, most of whom were children
3,291
Number of Iranians killed as of March 24 since the United States and Israel started the war
1,072
Number of people killed in Lebanon as of March 24
22
Number of people killed in the Gulf states as of March 25
18
Number of people killed in Israel as of March 25
From illegal war on Iran to an inhumane fuel blockade of Cuba, from AI weapons to crypto corruption, this is a time of staggering chaos, cruelty, and violence.
Unlike other publications that parrot the views of authoritarians, billionaires, and corporations, The Nation publishes stories that hold the powerful to account and center the communities too often denied a voice in the national media—stories like the one you’ve just read.
Each day, our journalism cuts through lies and distortions, contextualizes the developments reshaping politics around the globe, and advances progressive ideas that oxygenate our movements and instigate change in the halls of power.
This independent journalism is only possible with the support of our readers. If you want to see more urgent coverage like this, please donate to The Nation today.
13
Number of US service members killed as of March 16
3.2m
Number of Iranians who have been displaced as of March 12
1m
Number of people in Lebanon who have been displaced as of March 23
FINANCIAL COST
$16.5b
Amount spent by the United States during the first 12 days of the war
Get unlimited access: $9.50 for six months.
$5.6b
Estimated value of munitions used during the first two days of the war
$3.5m
Estimated cost of one Tomahawk cruise missile
20%
Portion of the world’s oil and natural gas that passes through the Strait of Hormuz
30%
Portion of the world’s fertilizer exports that pass through the Strait of Hormuz
$119
Cost of a barrel of oil as of March 19
30–40%
Expected rise in the cost of fertilizer for farmers
GLOBAL COST
12
Number of countries Iran has struck in retaliation
5m
CO2 amount, in metric tons, emitted in the first two weeks of the war
56%
Portion of Americans who disapproved of the war two weeks after its start
The NationTwitterFounded by abolitionists in 1865, The Nation has chronicled the breadth and depth of political and cultural life, from the debut of the telegraph to the rise of Twitter, serving as a critical, independent, and progressive voice in American journalism.