U.S. and Israel Escalate Military Action Against Iran Amid Congressional Debate

In early March 2026, the United States and Israel escalated their military campaign against Iran, marking a significant intensification of hostilities. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon is accelerating its operations, citing strategic necessity amid ongoing regional threats. Concurrently, Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes targeting locations in Tehran, signaling a broadening scope of engagement. The coordinated actions follow a series of Iranian ballistic missile launches toward Israel over a 24-hour period, which prompted immediate retaliatory measures. Hezbollah has also entered the conflict, opening a northern front against Israel, further expanding the geographic and operational dimensions of the war.

U.S. military actions have included the deployment of Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) in combat for the first time, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). These weapons were used against Iranian military targets, underscoring a shift toward advanced conventional capabilities. In a separate operation, a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, a move described by Hegseth as a defensive response to perceived threats. Iranian drones have also struck the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the transnational reach of the conflict. Additional U.S. military activity has been reported in Ecuador, though official sources have not clarified its direct connection to the Iran campaign.

The U.S. Congress attempted to assert oversight through a war powers resolution aimed at constraining President Trump’s military authority. However, the Senate failed to advance the measure, with Senate Republicans largely opposing the effort. Nearly all Republican senators voted against the resolution, effectively allowing the administration to continue its operations without new legislative constraints. This legislative outcome underscores deep partisan divisions over the use of military force and the executive’s war-making powers in the absence of a formal declaration of war.