Tensions Escalate / President Trump Officially Notifies Congress of Resuming War Against Iran

President Donald Trump has officially informed Congress of the resumption of military operations in Iran. In a letter sent Friday, July 10, to the leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and obtained by The New York Times, the American president states that U.S. forces carried out “defensive strikes against targets in Iran” on July 7.

The letter is likely to reignite the dispute between the White House and Capitol Hill over the president’s authority to manage the conflict with Tehran.

Congress maintains that continued military operations require specific parliamentary authorization.

Both the House and the Senate have already voted to demand that the president halt operations or submit them for congressional approval.

The White House, however, continues to assert that President Trump is acting within the powers granted by the U.S. Constitution as commander in chief of the Armed Forces.