150 US troops are wounded in Trump's Iran war, far more than the Pentagon admitted.
Ben Meiselas opens with breaking news that approximately 150 U.S. troops have been wounded in the conflict with Iran, a figure reported by Reuters and subsequently acknowledged by the White House as being 'within the ballpark,' contradicting the Pentagon's earlier disclosure of only eight seriously wounded.
The episode details Iran's deployment of naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most significant energy chokepoint. While only a few dozen mines have been laid so far, Iran retains 80-90% of its mine-laying capacity through IRGC small boats. Drone strike rates against UAE targets have increased 20-25%, and the country's largest oil refinery, operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., halted operations after a drone-caused fire.
Meiselas draws a connection to the Ukraine conflict, noting that in August 2025, Ukrainian President Zelensky presented Trump with detailed counter-drone technology data and offered to share it with the U.S. for potential Middle East operations. According to Axios, U.S. officials did not entertain the offer at that time. The host argues that U.S. military preparedness for drone warfare has been a bipartisan failure stretching back decades, but that the current administration's decision to rush into conflict without adequate drone defenses compounds the problem.
The episode covers Trump's social media posts about the conflict in real time, noting contradictions between claims that Iranian mines do not exist and subsequent posts claiming the U.S. destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying vessels. Meiselas highlights statements from Iran's foreign minister Arachi, who publicly called the war 'Operation Epic Mistake' and posted that Americans face the biggest oil shortfall in history.
Other developments covered include the redeployment of THAAD missile defense systems from South Korea, with South Korean President Lee stating his country opposes the withdrawal but cannot fully enforce its position. The host also discusses the Trump administration's shifting justifications for the war, which have ranged from preemptive nuclear threat to regime change to eliminating ballistic missiles.
Meiselas addresses the humanitarian toll, including reports of over 1,000 Iranian civilian deaths and the destruction of a girls' elementary school by what he identifies as a U.S. Tomahawk missile strike. He plays footage from Tehran Square showing large crowds rallying behind new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, contrasting this with earlier predictions that the Iranian public would rise up against the regime.
The episode closes with discussion of market manipulation concerns, Eric Trump's involvement in a drone company seeking Ukrainian technology, and Pakistan's prime minister publicly supporting Iran's new leader.
