President Trump has restarted the war-powers clock on Iran, Politico reports. In a July 10 letter to Congress obtained by Politico, he told lawmakers that US strikes that began July 7 mark renewed "military action" against Iran, giving his administration another 60 days to operate without congressional authorization. The move comes months after Trump claimed the war that began in February had "terminated," a position critics said was a legal maneuver to pause the required deadline for congressional approval. The War Powers Act requires the POTUS to inform Congress within two days of the military conducting warfare abroad, the Hill reports.
The latest notification follows the formal end of a fragile two-month ceasefire and an escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. US Central Command says American forces have hit more than 300 Iranian military targets in the past week and carried out additional strikes Monday "at the Commander in Chief's direction." Trump has also announced a renewed blockade and US control over the strait, with a plan to impose fees on passing ships. The shift undercuts recent, largely symbolic House and Senate votes urging a halt to hostilities without congressional sign-off, and highlights eroding bipartisan patience with the president's Iran strategy.
The US launched strikes against Iran early Tuesday and Tehran retaliated with strikes against Bahrain, Jordan, and two United Arab Emirates-linked tankers transiting the strait, the AP reports. The UAE's Defense Ministry warned in a statement, "The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents."
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
