Latest Analysis: War with Iran

Amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli operations in Iran, CSIS experts examine the military, regional, and geopolitical implications of the conflict and its potential impacts across the Middle East and beyond.

Featured Analysis

A Widening War with Iran: What Are the U.S. Military's Next Steps

Video — March 4, 2026

Photo: U.S. Navy photo via DVIDS

Photo: U.S. Navy photo via DVIDS

$3.7 Billion: Estimated Cost of Epic Fury’s First 100 Hours

Operation Epic Fury costs nearly $900 million per day, driven by the large expenditure of munitions. Because most of this is not in the budget, the Pentagon will soon need to ask for more money.

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Commentary by Mark F. Cancian and Chris H. Park — March 5, 2026

Featured Videos

Why is the war in Iran spiking oil prices? | Asked & Answered

How Much Has the War in Iran Cost?

War in Iran, One Week In

Gulf States’ Response to Iranian Attacks

How the Iran War Will Impact Agriculture

Recent Events

Podcast Episodes

Experts

Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Daniel Byman

Daniel Byman

Director, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program
Emily Harding

Emily Harding

Vice President, Defense and Security Department; Director, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
Benjamin Jensen

Benjamin Jensen

Director, Futures Lab and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Jon Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
Will Todman

Will Todman

Chief of Staff, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department; and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Clayton Seigle

Clayton Seigle

Senior Fellow and James R. Schlesinger Chair in Energy and Geopolitics, Energy Security and Climate Change Program
Williams

Heather Williams

Director, Project on Nuclear Issues and Senior Fellow, Defense and Security Department
Joseph Rodgers

Joseph Rodgers

Deputy Director and Fellow, Project on Nuclear Issues

All Latest Analysis: War with Iran Content

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How to Lose a Navy in 10 Days

The naval strikes against Iran reveal how quickly modern fleets can be crippled. Today’s maritime campaigns aim not just to sink ships, but to blind sensors, disrupt command networks, and destroy ports—often within the opening days of war.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — March 12, 2026

Iran’s Real War Is Against the Global Economy

EST President Navin Girishankar argues that Iran may be losing the military contest with the United States, but it is fighting a different war—one aimed at the global economy.

Commentary by Navin Girishankar — March 11, 2026

Chokepoint: How the War with Iran Threatens Global Food Security

The war with Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in global oil, natural gas, and fertilizer trade. CSIS experts examine the immediate impacts on farmers and markets—and the long-term risks to food security if shipping does not resume.

Critical Questions by Emma Curtis, Joely Virzi, and Caitlin Welsh — March 11, 2026

What Can the United States and Israel Accomplish in Iran?

Secretary Hegseth called Operation Epic Fury “straightforward.” But while the United States strikes the Iranian navy, nuclear program, and missiles, Israel and Trump eye regime change. This piece deconstructs that daylight and the true cost of each goal.

Commentary by Emily Harding — March 11, 2026

Iran and Venezuela: Regime Change? | The High Top

Jon Alterman and Ryan Berg compare the swift removal of Maduro in Venezuela with the ongoing war in Iran, tracing what the differences in scope, objectives, and regional fallout reveal about U.S. strategy and the future of regime stability.

Event — March 10, 2026

Is the U.S. Running Out of Munitions? | All About the Base

All About the Base host and Center for the Industrial Base Director Jerry McGinn speaks with Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project, on the state of U.S. munitions stockpiles in light of the strikes against Iran and the need for magazine "breadth" and not simply depth.

Event — March 10, 2026

The Last Line of Defense

Beyond the Air War: What Are the Global Risks of the Iran Conflict?

Host Seth Jones sits down with General David H. Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and former director of the CIA, to discuss the latest developments in Iran, including ongoing military operations and the escalating challenge of countering drone and missile threats.

Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones — March 10, 2026

The Last Line of Defence

What Does the New Cyber Strategy Really Mean?

The new U.S. cyber strategy marks a shift to a more proactive cyber policy. It is a commendable declaration of goals but lacks a conversation about matching resources to these goals. This analysis explores the strategy’s strengths, gaps, and the path forward.

Critical Questions by Emily Harding — March 9, 2026