President Donald Trump returned from Camp David on Friday, July 31, 2026, arriving at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey amid ongoing military operations against Iran. The conflict, initially described by Trump as a military “excursion,” has now lasted nearly six months and is widely recognized as a war due to tens of thousands of U.S. strikes on Iran and persistent Iranian attacks on U.S. and Gulf targets.

Last week, massive U.S. attacks on Iran were temporarily placed on hold, then resumed, and paused again. This cycle reflects the intense domestic political pressure faced by Trump and Republicans over the rising economic costs of the conflict. Current polls indicate that 70 percent of Americans oppose the war.

Military experts, including Army General Barry McCaffery, estimate that sustaining ground operations in Iran would require approximately 600,000 troops. Additionally, strategic challenges such as the difficulty of attacking Kharg Island—requiring a nearly unopposed 400-mile transit from the eastern end of the Strait of Hormuz—make a large-scale ground invasion unlikely.

The conflict also has regional implications, as several Gulf states depend on desalination for over 90 percent of their drinking water, potentially affected by the ongoing hostilities.

Time will reveal whether the U.S. war on Iran will result in a strategic breakthrough or a costly blunder.

Sources