Iran claims heavy US losses in first week as war’s political costs mount

A senior Iranian intelligence official tells state media that at least 200 US troops were killed and over 3,000 wounded in the war’s first week, plus dozens of aircraft and 23 Patriot systems destroyed, sharply contradicting Washington’s claim of around 200 wounded. As Trump concedes he “never expected” to lean so heavily on the military, rising costs and anger raise the question: will Iran come back to haunt him at the 2026 midterms?