US War With Iran Now Under Review

Three federal watchdogs are now formally scrutinizing the US war with Iran—and whether the White House has blown past a legal limit. Inspectors general for the Pentagon, State Department, and USAID announced a joint review of "Operation Epic Fury," triggered by a law that requires oversight of overseas military operations lasting more than 60 days. That suggests the watchdogs view the conflict, which began Feb. 28, as exceeding the War Powers Act's 60-day cap for hostilities without congressional authorization, CNN reports. The administration never sought such approval.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has argued the clock "reset" after President Trump announced a ceasefire in April. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that the war is "over," despite continuing missile and drone attacks. The chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency tapped Pentagon inspector general Platte B. Moring III as the investigation's lead IG and State Department inspector general Arne Baker as associate lead, the Hill reports, adding an initial report is expected this fall. Democrats, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have been pushing for the action, arguing Trump's conflict has now stretched beyond 90 days at a cost of $30 billion. (The House passed a resolution Wednesday to stop the war.)