Iran-US Conflict Cost Per Minute: A Geographic & Economic Breakdown
On February 28, 2026, coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel targeted multiple sites within Iran, initiating a new phase of escalating conflict in the region. The attacks resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting a swift and forceful response from Tehran.
Iranian retaliation has focused on regional U.S. Allies and a move to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies. This action has already triggered a significant increase in global oil prices, according to reports. Targets of Iranian counter-strikes have included Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, as well as facilities in the British Indian Ocean Territory and the Akrotiri and Dhekelia sovereign base areas.
Following Khamenei’s death, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. This transition of power occurred amidst ongoing military engagements and heightened tensions.
The conflict has broadened to include multiple actors. Hezbollah has increased rocket fire into Israel in support of Iran, leading to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq are likewise involved in attacks against U.S. Interests. Israel has also targeted Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and an entity referred to as the “Islamic Group.”
The United States, under President Donald Trump, has issued increasingly assertive statements regarding potential further action. Trump has reportedly threatened to “massively blow up” Iran’s South Pars gas field and “obliterate” Iranian power plants if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. These threats have drawn criticism from international legal experts.
Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has stated that the war on Iran constitutes a crime of aggression under international law. He specifically condemned Trump’s threats against Iranian power plants and attacks on energy infrastructure by all parties, drawing parallels to Russian actions in Ukraine that are currently under investigation by the ICC.
As of March 13, 2026, more than 1,800 people have been killed in the conflict, including eight U.S. Service members and at least 175 students reportedly killed in a U.S. Strike on an Iranian elementary school. The accuracy of this student death toll remains unconfirmed.
European countries have begun deploying military assets to Cyprus following a drone attack on the island, signaling a broader regional concern over the escalating conflict. The situation remains fluid, with no immediate diplomatic resolution in sight.