US-Iran Tensions Escalate: Pentagon Reveals War Costs, Controversial F-35 Sale

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following reports of multiple tanker strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and a United Nations finding that a deadly United States strike on an Iranian school may constitute a war crime. On September 18, 2026, an oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire that was later extinguished, with the crew reported safe. This incident occurred shortly after Iran claimed its forces struck a vessel attempting an "illegal passage" through the crucial waterway. Another tanker was reportedly struck two days prior, on September 16.

These maritime incidents coincide with a UN fact-finding mission's conclusion that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe the U.S. committed war crimes in two strikes on February 28, 2026, at the onset of the current conflict. One of these strikes targeted the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab, southern Iran, resulting in over 150 deaths, including approximately 120 schoolchildren.

The UN report suggests the U.S. failed to update its targeting databases and confirm the school was not a military objective, leading to an indiscriminate attack. While the U.S. Central Command has denied responsibility for one of the strikes mentioned in the report, and the Pentagon has yet to release its investigation findings, the UN report underscores a significant humanitarian concern amidst the ongoing regional instability. The UN mission also accused Iranian authorities of committing crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests.