The Media Line: President Trump Notifies Congress on US Strikes; Iran Attack on UAE Kills One   

President Trump Notifies Congress on US Strikes; Iran Attack on UAE Kills One   

By The Media Line Staff  

The Trump administration formally notified Congress that US military operations against Iran resumed last week as American forces carried out a third consecutive night of strikes against Iranian targets and an Iranian cruise missile attack on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz killed one crew member.  

The notification to Congress renewed questions over the administration’s obligations under the War Powers Act. President Donald Trump previously informed Congress of military action on March 2. The law allows US forces to remain engaged for 60 days after a presidential notification, with a possible 30-day extension. Congressional approval is required for operations continuing beyond that period. It remains unclear whether the administration considers the latest strikes the beginning of a separate operation that could start a new 60-day period.  

The US military announced it had begun strikes in Iran for the third consecutive night as explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas and on Kish Island, Reuters reported. Before the operation, Trump said, “We will hit Iran hard tonight. Sometimes I disagree with Netanyahu, and I make sure he knows.” He also said, “The memorandum of understanding was a test; they did not honor it.”  

US Central Command (CENTCOM) later said the five-hour operation targeted coastal defense systems, missile sites, unmanned aerial vehicles and maritime capabilities using precision munitions at Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas. The military said the mission was intended to reduce Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and added that more than 50,000 U.S. troops remain deployed across the Middle East.  

The United Arab Emirates Defense Ministry said an Indian national was killed and eight crew members, including four seriously, were wounded when Iranian cruise missiles struck two tankers in the southern Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters. The ministry said fires aboard both vessels had been extinguished and that it “reserves its full right to respond to the escalation.” Reuters also cited the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations as saying a tanker northeast of Qalhat, Oman, was struck by an unidentified object without causing casualties.  

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said the tankers had ignored warnings, switched off their navigation systems and attempted to cross a “mined route.” The IRGC warned that cooperation with the “aggressive enemy” in the Strait of Hormuz would delay reopening the waterway and could trigger a global energy crisis.   

Iranian forces also claimed attacks on targets in Bahrain and Jordan, while Bahrain and Jordan reported intercepting hostile aerial threats and missiles. President Trump later said, “We are attacking their capabilities related to the Strait of Hormuz and eliminating their offensive capacity,” adding, “I think there’s a possibility for a deal.”