By Betsy Brewer Brantner
Contributing Writer

On February 28, coordinated military operations by the United States and Israel began against Iran. 

Less than a month later, a total of 13 U. S. service members have died during the conflict with Iran, and that number will continue to grow. The pain of losing a family member or friend to war is beyond description, and that pain lasts forever. It doesn’t stop when the war is over. And there are no words that can bring comfort to a person that has lost someone to war.

There is a term “collateral damage”that is intended to be a catch-all phrase for other losses brought on by war. 

The term “collateral damage” is defined as the unintentional or incidental death, injury, or destruction of non-combatant civilians, property, or infrastructure during military operations. It refers to unintended harm caused when targeting lawful military objectives. This damage is “considered lawful” under international law if it is not excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage, a principle known as proportionality. 

If that definition sounds cold and detached, it is. Somehow that phrase, “collateral damage” makes the destruction of war sound less personal. But war is personal and the collateral damage often affects us more than we expected.

Approximately 3.2 million people have been internally displaced in Iran following the start of that conflict, according to the UN refugee agency. The majority of those displaced are fleeing Tehran due to airstrikes, with many moving to smaller urban and rural areas. This number is rising as the conflict continues. But that is Iran.

It is usually more difficult for people in this country to realize the collateral damage in another land. However, the recent war is also hurting the United States in a variety of ways.

Perhaps the most obvious is how it is playing out with the U.S. economy. In just a week, the cost of gas has increased $1 or more a gallon. Before the war, the cost was under $3 per gallon for regular gas, but now the price is close to $4 or more per gallon depending on where it is purchased.

Reuters reported that 55 percent of Americans are feeling the financial impact from rising gas prices, and  87 percent expect further gas price increases amid Iran conflict. Rising gasoline prices are already starting to bite U.S. household ​ finances and Americans overwhelmingly expect fuel costs will keep climbing as the Iran war crimps ‌global oil supplies, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

In the Tuesday-through-Thursday poll, 55 percent of respondents in the Tuesday-through-Thursday poll said their household finances had taken at least “somewhat” of a hit from the increases in gas prices. Among those seeing an impact, 21 percent said their finances were affected “a great deal.”

To create further problems for local residents, in the state of Pennsylvania the high gas tax (roughly 58 cents per gallon) will contribute significantly to the overall costs of gas.

But when minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 per hour, it’s not a stretch to see how that will affect those that work in service areas that typically receive a lower wage. Persons working jobs such as retail or food service will be doubly impacted. They already have a low wage so getting to work will cost more. And when work is on the front lines, particularly at grocery stores, they may feel the wrath of shoppers who don’t want to pay more for anything. 

Suddenly, the term collateral damage hits home. The war is hurting the economy and there is no clear end in sight. Like it or not, we are a global economy and when you hurt one country you will hurt your own country, too.

It may be a war in Iran, but it is a war on everyone. We are all collateral damage.