An Iran-Israel war reignited by the U.S. is going badly for Washington and could turn Israel into a sitting duck — bad news for global oil prices and gas pumps.

• Iran is running a slow "wear them down" strategy, surviving the first hard blows and then picking apart the U.S.-built missile defenses across the Gulf states, moving closer to Israel.
• U.S. bases and radars in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kuwait have been hit hard, and some American troops have died in the strikes.
• Gulf monarchies hosted these defenses mainly to protect Israel, trusting a U.S. promise to "solve" Iran in a month — a promise that has not held up.
• If the defense shield collapses, Israel could face direct missile barrages with little warning, raising the risk it reaches for nuclear weapons.
• The war is deeply unpopular in the U.S., seen as fought for Israel's benefit, and destroyed oil and gas sites are already pushing costs onto ordinary people worldwide.

Outlook: Trump is expected to look for a face-saving exit, but more damage to oil infrastructure and higher gas prices likely come first.