Triumphal tone on Iran challenged

The downing of the aircraft and the ongoing search for a missing pilot have pierced the aura of invincibility the White House has sought to project.

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton suggested the president may be in 'panic mode' as the political risks of the war intensify.

Meanwhile, Iran is using the incidents to challenge Washington's narrative and deepen the economic fallout from the conflict.

The escalating costs and lack of a clear exit strategy are beginning to register with some segments of the American electorate.