WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran early Sunday about potential retaliation following U.S. and Israeli strikes on targets in the country, drawing a divided response from lawmakers on Capitol Hill who were largely sidelined from the decision-making process.
The strikes, which targeted what the administration described as Iranian military installations linked to regional proxy forces, marked a significant escalation in long-standing tensions between the United States and Iran. According to reports from NBC News, the operation was conducted jointly with Israel, though details on the exact locations and extent of the damage remain limited. The White House has not released an official casualty count, but Iranian state media claimed the attacks resulted in at least a dozen deaths among military personnel near the city of Isfahan.
Trump's warning came in a late-night address from the Oval Office, where he cautioned Iran against any reprisals. "Any retaliation will be met with overwhelming force," Trump said, according to a White House transcript released Sunday morning. The president's remarks underscored his administration's hardline stance on Iran, echoing policies from his first term that included the 2020 assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Back in Washington, the reaction in Congress was swift and varied, with many members expressing frustration over being excluded from consultations prior to the strikes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the move "reckless," stating in a statement, "The American people deserve a say in matters of war, not unilateral decisions from the executive branch." Schumer's comments highlighted ongoing debates over presidential war powers, a tension that has simmered since the 1973 War Powers Resolution aimed to check executive authority in military engagements.
On the Republican side, support was more tempered but not unanimous. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the strikes as "necessary to deter Iranian aggression," but stopped short of endorsing further action without congressional input. "We stand with Israel and our allies, but let's ensure this doesn't spiral into a broader conflict," Johnson said during a morning appearance on Fox News Sunday.
The strikes come amid heightened U.S.-Iran frictions, including Iran's alleged support for Houthi rebels in Yemen and militia groups in Iraq and Syria that have targeted American forces. Just last month, on February 15, 2026, a drone attack on a U.S. base in eastern Syria killed three service members, an incident the Pentagon attributed to Iranian-backed operatives. In response, Trump had previously authorized limited airstrikes on militia positions, setting the stage for the more ambitious operation over the weekend.
Lawmakers from both parties voiced concerns about the lack of prior notification. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a vocal critic of interventionist foreign policy, tweeted late Saturday, "Congress has the constitutional authority over war. This bypasses that entirely." Massie, along with a bipartisan group of 50 House members, plans to introduce a resolution invoking the War Powers Resolution to require Trump to seek approval for any sustained military involvement in Iran.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., offered a contrasting view, defending the president's actions. "Iran has been thumbing its nose at the world for too long," Graham said on CNN's State of the Union. "These strikes send a clear message: America is back and won't tolerate threats to our interests or Israel's security." Graham's support aligns with Trump's base, which has largely rallied behind the former president's aggressive posture toward Tehran.
The congressional divide reflects broader partisan fault lines on foreign policy. Democrats, still smarting from Trump's first-term withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, argue that diplomacy should take precedence. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is eyeing another presidential run, criticized the strikes as "an unnecessary provocation that risks American lives." Sanders referenced a 2019 resolution he co-sponsored to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia over Yemen, drawing parallels to the current Iran situation.
Republicans, meanwhile, point to Iran's nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile program as justification for preemptive measures. The strikes reportedly hit facilities near Natanz, a site long suspected of uranium enrichment activities, though U.S. officials emphasized the targets were conventional military assets, not nuclear-related. "This was about degrading Iran's ability to project power, not about regime change," a senior defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
International reactions poured in as the sun rose on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the operation as a "joint success against a common enemy," according to a statement from his office. In contrast, the European Union called for restraint, with High Representative Josep Borrell urging all parties to return to the negotiating table. "Escalation benefits no one," Borrell said in Brussels.
Iran's response was measured but firm. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the nation in a televised speech, vowing that "the Islamic Republic will not bow to aggression." Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned of "severe consequences," hinting at possible asymmetric retaliation through proxies in the region. U.S. intelligence officials are monitoring for potential attacks on American assets in the Gulf.
As Congress reconvenes this week, pressure is mounting for hearings on the strikes. The House Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, has scheduled a session for Wednesday to question administration officials. Meanwhile, a group of progressive Democrats, led by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is pushing for a vote on a war powers resolution that would limit funding for any extended operations against Iran.
The implications of the strikes extend beyond the Middle East. Oil prices surged 5 percent in early trading Monday, reflecting fears of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil passes. Analysts at Goldman Sachs projected potential spikes to $100 per barrel if tensions escalate further.
Looking ahead, the situation remains fluid. Trump is expected to brief congressional leaders Tuesday, though skeptics doubt it will quell calls for oversight. With midterm elections looming in November 2026, the Iran strikes could become a flashpoint, testing Trump's foreign policy legacy and the balance of power between branches of government. For now, all eyes are on Tehran's next move and whether Congress can assert its role in what could be the opening salvo of a larger conflict.