Newswire
Washington: The United States’ expanding military campaign against Iran came under renewed scrutiny on Capitol Hill thus week as lawmakers questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the trajectory of the conflict, while the White House pressed Congress to approve a $95 billion budget package to finance military operations and other domestic priorities.
Appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Hegseth faced pointed questions from senators over the escalating conflict, mounting casualties and the administration’s strategy in the Middle East.
The hearing took place days after the Pentagon confirmed that three additional American service members had been killed, raising the U.S. military death toll in the conflict to 17, with more than 100 personnel wounded since early July.
Leading Democrats warned that the United States risked becoming trapped in another prolonged military engagement. Senator Patty Murray, the committee’s ranking Democrat, argued that the conflict was “spiraling out of control” and cautioned that it could evolve into “another forever war.”
Murray questioned the administration’s repeated assurances that a diplomatic breakthrough was imminent, noting that President Donald Trump had repeatedly suggested a negotiated settlement was close while simultaneously requesting tens of billions of dollars in additional war funding.
The White House has asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in emergency spending, largely to finance military operations connected with the conflict with Iran. The request forms the centerpiece of a broader Republican-backed $95 billion package that also includes agricultural assistance and election-related measures before lawmakers leave Washington ahead of November’s congressional elections.
In a policy statement issued before the hearing, the administration urged lawmakers to approve the budget package without amendments, describing the funding as necessary to meet urgent national security requirements.
Republican leaders defended the request, arguing that continued military operations were essential to counter Iranian capabilities and protect U.S. forces and regional allies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the administration and the Pentagon were working toward resolving the conflict but acknowledged uncertainty over how that objective would ultimately be achieved.
The congressional hearing unfolded as fighting intensified across the Middle East, further raising concerns about regional stability and global energy security.
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude destined for China and India reversed course in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of the world’s most important maritime trade corridors.
The diversions came as U.S. forces launched another night of strikes against military targets inside Iran while Tehran intensified retaliatory attacks across the Gulf.
Iran reportedly targeted U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan while also claiming responsibility for attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Regional governments reported missile and drone attacks against critical infrastructure, including power generation and desalination facilities in Kuwait, prompting authorities to introduce electricity conservation measures during peak summer demand.
The attacks have heightened fears over the security of global energy supplies. Although oil prices rose about two percent following the latest escalation, expectations that diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran could eventually resume helped limit sharper market volatility.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces had conducted a tenth consecutive night of strikes targeting Iranian military command centers, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities and air defense systems. The military said the operations were intended to reduce Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the sustained bombing campaign, reports citing newly assessed U.S. intelligence suggested that continued military pressure was unlikely to significantly alter Iran’s negotiating position regarding its nuclear programme and the future of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump maintained that military operations would continue, warning that additional strikes could target Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility near Natanz, which Western intelligence agencies suspect is linked to uranium enrichment activities.
Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump asserted that Iran would require decades to recover from the damage already inflicted and indicated that Washington had no immediate plans to halt military operations.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Houthi movement’s allegations against the Kingdom, rejecting what it described as baseless accusations while reaffirming its commitment to protecting maritime navigation and supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The Saudi Cabinet also expressed solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan following Iranian attacks, calling for an immediate halt to military escalation in order to preserve regional stability.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the Muslim World League likewise condemned the Houthi statements and reiterated support for Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding international shipping routes amid growing instability across the Middle East.
As the conflict enters a more dangerous phase, lawmakers in Washington continue to debate both the financial costs and strategic objectives of the campaign, while military developments across the Gulf underscore the widening regional and global implications of the crisis.
