The United States is at war.

Simultaneous military operations across 7+ countries.

No congressional authorization. No major press inside the Pentagon.

These are the sources.

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Situation Report

Day 9: ceasefire under blockade

Pakistan-brokered ceasefire indefinitely extended April 21. Dual blockade in place: US Navy interdicting Iranian ports since April 13, Iran controlling Strait of Hormuz traffic since May 4 and charging tolls of over $1 million per ship. Operation Epic Fury declared concluded May 5; Operation Project Freedom (defensive Hormuz) and Operation Sledgehammer (standby contingency) replace it. Trump announced May 18 that a planned May 19 strike on Iran was postponed at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Senate advanced a war powers resolution 50-47 on May 19, the first procedural breakthrough after seven failed attempts, with Sen. Bill Cassidy joining Collins, Murkowski, and Paul as the fourth Republican defector.

2,076+
Reported killed in Iran (Al Jazeera tracker last updated April 11; HRANA's independent count was 3,636 on April 7; both trackers have gone silent during the ceasefire window)
Al Jazeera tracker (frozen at April 11)
26,500
Reported wounded in Iran (Al Jazeera tracker frozen at April 11)
Al Jazeera tracker (frozen at April 11)
13-15
US service members killed (Pentagon says 13; Intercept/Wikipedia say 15)
Military.com (April 4)
413
US service members wounded (Pentagon official; The Intercept reported April 22 that the Defense Casualty Analysis System silently removed 15 troops from the public count, dropping the figure from 428 to 413; Intercept's independent estimate is 520-538)
The Intercept (April 22)
13,000+
Targets struck during Operation Epic Fury's offensive phase, which lasted thirty-eight days and concluded May 5 per Secretary Rubio (CENTCOM tally: 2,000+ command and control, 1,500+ air defense, 1,450+ industrial, 800 attack drone, 700+ naval mine, 600+ naval, 450+ ballistic missile)
CENTCOM / Defence Industry Europe
0
Congressional authorizations for this war
ACLU
0
Major news orgs with Pentagon credentials (Judge Friedman ruled April 9 that Pentagon violated the March 20 access order; D.C. Circuit partially stayed Friedman's escort ruling April 28; The New York Times filed a second Pentagon lawsuit May 18 challenging the escort-only credentialing rule as 'patently unconstitutional')
Washington Times (May 18)
Contested Information

The numbers don't agree.

How many people have been killed in Iran?

2,076+
Iran Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Al Jazeera (April 3)
Source
5,900
Hengaw (21 days; 595 civilian, 5,305 military)
Source
32,000
President Trump (claimed)
Source

How many US soldiers have been killed or captured?

15 killed, ~303 wounded
Pentagon / CENTCOM (figures disputed as outdated)
Source
~750 killed/wounded (15 killed, 520+ wounded)
The Intercept analysis (April 1; excludes 200+ USS Ford sailors)
Source
680 killed/wounded (US and Israeli)
Iran's IRGC
Source

What's happening at Landstuhl?

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany is the largest US military hospital outside the United States. It has been the primary receiving facility for combat casualties from every Middle East conflict since 1991.

Verified

  • Landstuhl suspended its labor and delivery ward "until further notice" around March 3-4, citing the need to prioritize "critical combat casualty care." Pregnant military spouses past 36 weeks were redirected to German civilian hospitals. Military Times · Stars and Stripes
  • At least one medevac C-17 flight from Kuwait to Ramstein Air Base (adjacent to Landstuhl) has been confirmed. Pravda Germany
  • A job posting for a "personal effects specialist" at Dover Air Force Base went viral on social media. Military Times confirmed the posting exists. The military has not commented on whether it is related to anticipated casualties. Military Times

For context

  • Landstuhl is a Level II trauma center with over 100 beds. The Pentagon's official casualty count as of March 19 is 13 killed (7 combat, 6 in a KC-135 crash) and ~200 wounded across 7 countries.
  • CENTCOM has denied Iran's claims of captured US soldiers, calling them "lies and deceptions." No independent verification exists for either side's claims.
The Blackout

Who's covering this war?

Pentagon credentials revoked

  • The New York TimesREVOKED
  • Associated PressREVOKED
  • ReutersREVOKED
  • The Washington PostREVOKED
  • Fox NewsREVOKED
  • CNNREVOKED
  • The AtlanticREVOKED
  • NBC NewsREVOKED
  • CBS NewsREVOKED
  • NPRREVOKED

Refused to sign rules requiring journalists to only report "authorized" information. PBS, Oct 2025

Currently credentialed

  • OAN
  • The Federalist
  • The Epoch Times
  • Gateway Pundit
  • Turning Point Frontlines
  • The Daily Signal
  • LindellTV

Agreed to Pentagon press rules. Freedom of the Press Foundation

Stars and Stripes

On January 15, 2026, the Pentagon announced it would take editorial control of Stars and Stripes, the military's independent newspaper. The paper had been editorially independent since a 1990s congressional mandate. The Pentagon stated that 50% of content would be War Department-generated material produced by active-duty service members.

Washington Post · NPR
165
Schoolgirls killed in the Minab airstrike, February 28.
Minutes of US cable news coverage in the first 72 hours: 0
Human Rights Watch · Mondoweiss
Simultaneous Operations

It's not just Iran.

The US is conducting military operations across multiple regions simultaneously.

Iran
Operation Epic Fury
Joint US-Israel air/naval campaign. 15,000+ targets struck. Day 51. Pakistan-brokered ceasefire began April 8; Islamabad talks collapsed April 11-12. US naval blockade announced April 13; Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz April 18. Ceasefire expires April 21.
Ceasefire fracturing
Iran
Operation Economic Fury
Parallel economic-pressure campaign targeting Iranian revenue streams. Announced April 16 alongside the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Active
Lebanon
Israel-Lebanon 10-day cessation
US-brokered pause in Israeli operations. Began April 16. Israel retains self-defense right; Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and rogue groups. Extendable by mutual agreement.
Paused
Venezuela
Operation Absolute Resolve
Bombed air defenses, captured President Maduro. January 3, 2026.
Completed
Ecuador
Joint anti-cartel operations
US Special Forces deployed March 3. First US-assisted land operations against cartels.
Active
Caribbean
Operation Southern Spear
Largest naval buildup since Cuban Missile Crisis. 44+ boats destroyed, 150+ killed.
Active
Syria
Operation Hawkeye Strike
100+ ISIS targets struck since December 2025. 5,700+ detainees transferred.
Active
Yemen
Anti-Houthi strikes
Ongoing campaign. Houthis debating entry into Iran war.
Active
Somalia, Nigeria, Panama
Various operations
AFRICOM strikes, 200 troops to Nigeria, Marines at Panama Canal.
Active
What You Can Do

Informed action.

Demand a vote

Congress has not voted to authorize this war. War Powers Resolution votes in both chambers failed to pass. The House voted 219-212 on March 5. The Senate voted 53-47 on March 4.

Find your representative Contact your senators

Read international sources

International wire services, NGOs, and press freedom organizations covering the conflict.

Support press freedom

The New York Times filed suit against the DOD in December 2025. A federal hearing took place March 6, 2026. These organizations track press access and restrictions.