Trump Informs Congress US is Back at War With Iran

US President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress that Washington has entered another active military conflict with Iran. The official communication has ignited a fierce constitutional debate over executive war powers and escalated geopolitical tensions in the Middle East to a critical threshold.

The announcement, delivered via a formal letter to Congress on Friday 10 July, directly counters recent efforts by the House of Representatives to curb the president’s ability to wage war without legislative consent. Lawmakers had previously challenged the administration’s authority, citing a joint US-Israeli air assault on Iranian targets executed on 28 February. Capitol Hill argued that this operation lacked the necessary congressional approval, violating the historic War Powers Resolution of 1973. Under this statute, a president must withdraw military forces within 60 days of initiating hostilities unless Congress explicitly authorises the action.

In the correspondence obtained by news agencies, President Trump justified the latest military operations against the Islamic Republic as an essential exercise of his executive mandate. He stated that the renewed strikes were vital to protect American citizens and defend US interests both at home and abroad. By declaring these hostilities as a distinct, newly initiated phase of conflict, the White House claims it has legally reset the clock, securing an additional 60-day window to conduct military operations without requiring a formal declaration of war from Congress.

This fresh outbreak of violence shatters a fragile diplomatic framework established earlier this year. In May, President Trump had informed lawmakers that the initial phase of hostilities, codenamed Operation Epic Fury, had concluded following a ceasefire agreement brokered on 7 April. Hopes for a sustained de-escalation rose further when Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 June. However, a series of retaliatory attacks last week completely dismantled the truce. Both nations have trade accusations, blaming one another for violating the terms of the agreement.

The strategic focus of the conflict has now shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical maritime choke point for global energy supplies. Tensions intensified dramatically following an Iranian cruise missile strike on a commercial vessel in the strait, which resulted in the death of an Indian crew member and left eight others injured.

Following the incident, President Trump announced on Monday that the US military is actively taking unilateral control of the waterway. Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, the president declared that Washington would police the transit route and levy a 20 per cent tariff on all commercial cargo ships passing through the sector. He further asserted that the US Navy would reinstate a strict naval blockade on Iranian ports, vowing to intercept and block any vessel operating on behalf of Iran or its international oil customers.