In a show of support for the U.S. military operation in Iran, Senate Republicans defeated a measure on Wednesday that would have forced President Trump to seek congressional authorization before launching further attacks on the Middle Eastern country. "Americans want President Trump to lower prices, not drag us into unnecessary forever wars,” Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said ahead of the vote. Iran has stepped up retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, firing on Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel and threatening to plunge the region into a prolonged war. Six U.S. service members have died in retaliatory strikes, according to the U.S. Central Command. The president said that he expects the U.S. military campaign — dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” — to last four to five weeks.

Source: International New York Times March 04, 2026 16:40 UTC