At least three U.S. military members were killed over the weekend as Iran and the U.S. military continued to launch waves of attacks against each other. The latest escalation began after Iranian missile and drone attacks struck U.S. military facilities in Jordan, where two American service members were killed, and another was initially reported missing.

According to U.S. officials, American aircraft have struck Iranian command centers, missile launch sites, air defense systems, communications facilities, and military infrastructure near cities including Tabriz and Bushehr. Washington says the objective is to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten American forces and international shipping in the Persian Gulf. Iran claims to have launched attacks against U.S. bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait in retaliation.

Additional American casualties will likely put political pressure on the Trump Administration to bring the war to a close. Less than one third of the American public approves of the war with Iran, and with the mid-term elections only four months away, the casualties are already becoming a political lightning rod. The central focus of the war has shifted from Iran’s nuclear program to control over the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed to commercial traffic.

The conflict has increasingly affected countries close to Iran. Iranian missiles and drones have targeted U.S.-linked facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, while military activity has also affected Iraq and shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Commercial vessels have come under attack, and regional governments have strengthened air defenses to protect military bases, ports, and energy infrastructure.

There have also been economic consequences to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, and repeated attacks on ships have disrupted maritime traffic. Oil prices have climbed above $90 per barrel amid concerns that additional attacks could reduce global energy supplies. Several Gulf states have expressed concern about damage to critical infrastructure, while shipping companies are reassessing the risks of operating in the region.

Over the past several days, both sides have intensified their operations after Iranian attacks killed additional American service members stationed in the Middle East. The renewed fighting has increased fears that the conflict could expand into a broader regional war involving additional countries and threaten global energy supplies.

Despite the continued military operations, diplomatic channels have not been completely closed. Officials from both Washington and Tehran have acknowledged that indirect communications continue through regional mediators, including Pakistan and Qatar. However, neither side has shown a willingness to halt military operations before securing what it views as favorable negotiating conditions.

The Trump Administration has thus far followed a long-established playbook for the use of force abroad that grew into maturity with the Clinton Administration’s operations in Bosnia in the 1990s. The belief that a war can be won by airpower alone and with no casualties has long been popular for the American public and senior government officials. Unfortunately, wars cannot be won from air alone and with no casualties, and the Trump Administration is relearning that lesson with the war against Iran.