U.S. Senate Moves to Limit Iran War Powers as Casualties Rise and Oil Shock Hits Global Markets

U.S. lawmakers are moving to assert congressional authority over the widening war with Iran, even as the White House defends the military campaign and new casualties emerge from the battlefield across the Middle East.

The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval before any further American attacks against Iran. A parallel bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, and reflect growing concern among some lawmakers that the United States has entered a major conflict without a formal debate in Congress. The measures face long odds in the Republican-controlled legislature and would almost certainly be vetoed by President Donald Trump if they passed.

Representational Image: White House

The push shows unease in Washington about the rapidly escalating war, which began with U.S.–Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region. Critics argue that the Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war and that lawmakers should have a direct say before the conflict deepens further.

Meanwhile, the economic consequences of the conflict are already rippling through global markets. Oil prices surged sharply after Iranian strikes disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Global stock markets have also come under pressure amid fears that a prolonged spike in energy prices could slow the world economy. U.S. stocks appeared steadier at the opening of trading Wednesday after several days of volatility.

The human toll of the conflict continues to mount. The Pentagon has now identified four of the six American service members killed in a drone strike in Kuwait earlier in the week. The White House said President Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer of their remains at Dover Air Force Base.

Fighting is also intensifying on Israel’s northern front with Lebanon. The Israeli military reported its first combat casualties of the war after two soldiers were wounded by anti-tank fire during operations in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah said its fighters targeted Israeli troops advancing toward the border village of Khiyam and released video footage showing a missile striking an Israeli tank.

Israel has said its forces are moving deeper into southern Lebanon to establish what it describes as “forward defensive positions” intended to shield northern Israeli communities from further attacks. The clashes signal a widening of the conflict beyond the Iran-Israel exchange of missiles and drones.

At the same time, Washington is facing scrutiny over reports that a girls’ school in southern Iran may have been struck during the opening phase of the bombing campaign. Iranian officials say more than 160 students were killed in the attack on a school in the town of Minab. U.S. officials say they are investigating the claims. 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was no confirmation that American strikes had hit the school, adding that the United States “does not target civilians.”

The White House has also defended its handling of American citizens stranded across the Middle East. Officials say the State Department has established assistance channels and evacuation guidance for Americans seeking to leave the region, while acknowledging that airspace closures have complicated travel.

Leavitt also confirmed that President Trump had spoken with Kurdish leaders in Iraq regarding security around U.S. bases in the country’s north. She rejected reports suggesting Washington was coordinating with Iranian Kurdish militant groups as part of a broader strategy against Tehran.

At the same briefing, the administration insisted that deploying American ground troops inside Iran is not currently part of the military plan, though officials declined to rule out future options. The White House reiterated that the war was launched partly out of fears that Iran was preparing to strike U.S. personnel and assets in the region.

The administration also claimed that Spain had agreed to cooperate with U.S. military operations after earlier tensions over American access to bases on Spanish territory. The White House said coordination between the two countries’ militaries was now under way.

The White House maintains that the American public broadly supports the campaign against Iran. Polling conducted before the conflict showed that a majority of Americans viewed Iran as an adversary of the United States, though surveys also suggested more limited public trust in Trump’s leadership.

UPDATE: Spain’s government has firmly rejected the White House claim that it had agreed to cooperate with U.S. military operations against Iran, with Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares saying Madrid’s position remains unchanged. Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, Albares directly contradicted comments made moments earlier by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who had said Spain had decided to cooperate with the U.S. military after pressure from Washington. “I can refute that,” Albares said, adding that Spain’s stance on the war, the bombing of Iran and the use of Spanish bases “has not changed one iota,” signalling that Madrid still refuses to allow U.S. forces to use jointly operated bases for offensive strikes against Iran.