What to know
- The House joined the Senate today in rejecting a bipartisan war powers resolution that would have kept President Donald Trump from continuing the war in Iran without congressional authorization. Four House Democrats joined Republicans to kill the legislation. On Wednesday the Senate rejected a similar resolution on a near party-line vote.
- Since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, the war appears to be widening beyond the Middle East. Strikes have been reported in Israel, Turkey, Bahrain, UAE, Azerbaijan and other countries, including on U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. So far, six Americans — all service members — have been killed since the beginning of the military operation. The State Department announced that it is closing the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait.
- The World Health Organization said today that almost 1,000 deaths have been reported in Iran since the war began. Fifty deaths were reported in Lebanon, 10 in Israel and 11 in other gulf countries, WHO said.
- President Donald Trump said that he should be involved in choosing Iran’s next supreme leader, Axios reported. The late ayatollah’s son Mojtaba Khamenei has become the front-runner for taking over his father’s role. Trump is opposed. “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight,” Trump told Axios.