Trump’s War in Iran Was Already Going Poorly. Then This Weekend Happened.

This story is adapted from the Slatest newsletter. You can sign up here to get it in your inbox every day. The war that Donald Trump started with Iran continues to spiral. After a ceasefire fell apart earlier this month, several U.S. service members were killed over the weekend—the first American fatalities in months—as Iranians continue to die in large numbers. Prospects for peace remain dim and the war is instead spreading, with violence spilling into the rest of the region. How were the U.S. troops killed? Two died after an Iranian ballistic missile reportedly struck their housing unit at a U.S. military base in Jordan. On Monday, the Pentagon identified them as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Texas. Feehan was 25; Gonzales was 19. A third U.S. service member in Jordan is missing and presumed dead, and a fourth was killed during the detonation of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq on Saturday. The war’s total U.S. death toll is now at least 17. Earlier Iranian attacks also injured hundreds of U.S. service members, some seriously—casualties the Pentagon has been slow to disclose. Are Iranian civilians dying? Independent estimates suggest at least 1,700 have been killed since the war began. And that count is likely to climb: Sunday night marked the ninth straight day of attacks on Iran, which the Iranian government says have killed at least 50 people. True to Trump’s threats, we may now be attacking civilian targets. Iran accused the U.S. of destroying roads and bridges late last week, while Iran reportedly damaged water facilities in Kuwait. Some of those strikes could violate international law, which forbids attacking civilian infrastructure. You said violence is spreading across the region. What does that look like? The Houthis, an Iran-backed militia based in Yemen, said on Monday that they would block ships from Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, from exiting the Red Sea. That threat could introduce more turmoil into the global economy, as the waterway in question, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, is an important shipping route for oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, Iran is stepping up attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, which also host U.S. military bases, and continues to target commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. How bad is this going to get? Unfortunately, a broader conflict seems to be brewing. Iran’s president said today that his country is already engaged in a “full-scale war.” Trump, meanwhile, is reportedly sending more fighter jets to the region, which isn’t the sort of thing you do if you expect deescalation. “The U.S. is planning for a wider war,” an unnamed U.S. official told the Washington Post today. Are the prospects for peace totally dead? Not necessarily. Even as the fighting intensifies, both sides have signaled openness to diplomacy. “The right time to negotiate is exactly when you have achieved reliable battlefield and strategic gains,” Iran’s foreign minister said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. is willing to talk but that Iran’s “behavior has to change in order for ours to change.” According to the Wall Street Journal, intermediary countries including Qatar have outlined proposals to revive the ceasefire. Still, another detente doesn’t look imminent. It’s a good reminder that wars are a lot easier to start than they are to end. If only Trump has thought of that before launching this one. Now that you’re caught up on some heavy news, how about something lighter? For your evening enjoyment, I’d suggest: How would you react if your spouse suddenly wanted to join a country club? This dilemma has one letter-writer wondering who exactly they married! But Ilyce Glink has some measured, reasonable advice about how to navigate the situation. Test your knowledge of the English language: How many words can you create with the letters P, Y, C, R, O, and T? Challenge yourself with today’s Pears! Peel back the layers of The Odyssey: Homer’s epic has been around for millennia, but Christopher Nolan’s adaptation is giving viewers (and Slate writers!) plenty of fresh material to ponder. Nadira Goffe interviewed a classicist about the significance of casting Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and argues that the controversy over her appearance misses the point. Meanwhile, Sam Adams contemplates the film’s ending, arguing that Nolan’s final plot twist changes the meaning of the whole story. Say adios to Argentina: For a great number of soccer fans, Argentina evoked the feeling of getting away with something. Throughout the World Cup, the team slithered away from trouble again and again … until the final game. Alex Kirshner recaps the tournament and makes the case that its ending was perfect. And if you liked these recommendations, you might like Your Morning Slate, a newsletter that gives you three handpicked recommendations bright and early from Slate’s editor in chief, plus highlights from our homepage. You can sign up here. With that, time for me to take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your night!