Trump Threatens 'Massive Attack' on Iran as War Costs Hit $37.5 Billion and Congress Stays Divided

On July 23, 2026, President Donald Trump told Axios he is seriously considering launching a "massive attack" on Iran — bigger than the "Operation Epic Fury" strikes that opened the war on February 28. "I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it," Trump said . The threat comes as the conflict has widened into the Red Sea and oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel . Trump has previously issued and repeatedly extended ultimatums for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on critical infrastructure .

Congress Divided Over War Powers

Congress has been deeply divided throughout the conflict, with a series of failed and symbolic votes. Here is a timeline of key votes:

• March 4, 2026 — The Senate rejected an early resolution to constrain Trump's authority, just five days after the war began, by a vote of 47–53 .
• March 24, 2026 — Senate Republicans blocked a third Democratic attempt to force withdrawal, voting 53–47 to kill the measure .
• May 14, 2026 — The House narrowly rejected the latest of 10 separate war powers proposals that had failed up to that point .
• June 23–24, 2026 — In a first, both chambers passed a resolution directing Trump to withdraw U.S. forces or seek congressional approval. The Senate vote was 50–48, with 4 Republicans crossing party lines . The resolution was symbolic and non-binding.
• July 23, 2026 — The House passed a new war powers resolution to force an end to hostilities, but the Senate voted 47–49 to kill a parallel joint resolution, blocking any binding action .

The Rising Financial Cost

The war has become increasingly expensive. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 21, 2026, that the war had cost $37.5 billion to date, up from an earlier estimate of $29 billion in May . The estimate includes costs incurred from the start of the war through projected spending extending into early September .

The administration is also seeking additional funds. Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. John Caine asked for emergency supplemental funding of $67.1 billion to continue operations . A separate June 25 White House request cited $87.6 billion total for "urgent needs," the bulk of which was for Iran war costs .

Casualties: 18 U.S. Service Members Killed, Over 450 Wounded

Casualty figures have steadily climbed. As of July 22, 2026, multiple sources reported:

• 18 U.S. service members killed. The Military Times and other outlets reported the toll had risen to 18 by July 22 . The deadliest recent incident was an Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Jordan on July 17 that killed two soldiers .
• More than 450 wounded. The Pentagon's official tally was over 420 wounded as of July 20, rising to at least 447–450+ by July 22 . The Pentagon acknowledged nearly 100 troops were injured in just the two weeks after July 7, 2026 .

Stalled Negotiations and Key Disputes

The war erupted on February 28, 2026, when the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes that killed several Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while U.S.–Iran negotiations were still ongoing .

• Failed June ceasefire/memorandum of understanding — The Wikipedia entry for the 2026 Iran war notes that hostilities broke out amidst negotiations that had begun in April 2025 . Multiple sources confirm that a June 2026 ceasefire/MOU effort collapsed, though specific details of the failed memorandum are not fully covered in the available sources.
• Disputes over Iran's nuclear program — This was a core issue in the pre-war talks and remains unresolved.
• Strait of Hormuz — A central flashpoint. Trump repeatedly set deadlines for Iran to reopen the strait, warning that a "whole civilization will die" if his demands were not met . The conflict has since expanded to the Red Sea as well .
• Sanctions — Sanctions remain a key point of contention, but the search results did not provide detailed updates on specific new sanctions actions during the war period.

Bottom line: The available sources strongly confirm the costs, casualties, congressional divide, and Trump's "massive attack" threat. The negotiation status — including the failed June MOU and specific nuclear/sanctions details — is only partially covered and would benefit from additional targeted searches.