Washington, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Democratic lawmaker Adam Smith has accused US President Donald Trump of failing to achieve his stated objectives in Iran, claiming that six months of conflict have cost tens of billions of dollars and resulted in the deaths of 19 American service members and injuries to more than 750.
Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said the campaign had placed significant pressure on US military personnel, weapons and equipment.
“It has been six months since Trump unilaterally launched his catastrophic war of choice against Iran and so far, he has failed to achieve any of his administration’s constantly changing strategic objectives,” Smith said.
He listed those objectives as ending Iran’s support for armed proxy groups, eliminating its ballistic missile programme, removing its highly enriched uranium and changing the country’s ruling regime.
Smith claimed Iran continued to destabilise the region while gaining greater negotiating leverage. He also criticised the costs associated with reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments.
“Losses continue to accumulate, including 19 American service members killed and over 750 wounded, while thousands of innocent civilians have been killed across the region,” he said.
The casualty figures and financial estimates cited by Smith’s office were not accompanied by supporting documents or details on how they were calculated. There was no immediate response from the White House or the Defence Department to his allegations.
Smith also raised questions over an American strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, during the opening days of the campaign. He alleged that more than 150 people, mostly children, were killed and accused the Defence Department of failing to complete its investigation.
The Democratic lawmaker said the lack of transparency could damage Washington’s standing with allies, partners and adversaries.
He further warned that prolonged deployments were placing US ships, weapons stocks and military personnel under unnecessary strain. Smith said the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group had been deployed for 11 months, which he described as the longest such deployment since the Vietnam War.
The USS Abraham Lincoln had also faced several unplanned extensions before beginning its return from the Middle East, he said.
Smith called for an end to the conflict, warning that continued military involvement could draw the US into another prolonged war in the Middle East.
The Trump administration has rejected such assessments, maintaining that its military campaign significantly weakened Iran’s nuclear, ballistic missile, naval and defence capabilities and forced Tehran into negotiations from a position of weakness.
The White House said in June that Trump and Vice President JD Vance had secured a memorandum of understanding with Iran, describing it as a “historic breakthrough” aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and avoiding prolonged US military involvement in the region.
Trump launched Operation Epic Fury on March 1, citing Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile arsenal and support for armed groups as threats to the US and its allies. The White House said the operation followed unsuccessful diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement.
The US and Iran subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding in June providing for an end to hostilities, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and further negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, with Pakistan and Qatar among the countries involved in mediation.
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