US Spends $16.5B in 12 Days of Iran War as Deaths Mount

The United States has spent approximately $16.5 billion in the first 12 days of the war in Iran, including $3.7 billion in the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury alone, as casualties and infrastructure destruction mount across the region, according to figures compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies as of March 13, 2026.

More than 1,200 Iranian civilians have been killed and over 10,000 injured, according to Iran's Health Ministry. At least 13 U.S. service members have died, including seven by enemy fire, according to U.S. Central Command. Up to 3.2 million Iranians have been temporarily displaced, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The conflict has also killed 773 people and injured 1,933 in Lebanon and displaced 830,000 there, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry and disaster management office. A single strike on an Iranian school killed at least 165 civilians, according to Iranian state media. According to initial reports,

For Treasure Coast drivers, the war's reach is measurable at the pump. The national average price of gasoline stood at $3.63 per gallon as of mid-March — up 55 cents from the same period a year earlier, according to AAA. The spike is tied directly to the conflict's disruption of global oil supply. Brent crude peaked at $119.50 per barrel over the past week, and the International Energy Agency has released 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves to ease the strain, including 172 million barrels from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Some 20 percent of the world's oil supply transits the Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S.-Israeli campaign has struck more than 15,000 targets. U.S. Central Command reported more than 90 Iranian vessels damaged or destroyed and more than 30 Iranian minelayers eliminated. Sixteen ships have been struck in the region, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations. Twenty-five Iranian hospitals have been damaged and nine are out of service, according to Iranian health officials. A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found 56 percent of Americans oppose the war.

Experts cautioned that all figures — particularly civilian casualties and long-term economic costs — could rise significantly as more information becomes available.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.