U.S. President Donald Trump has informed Congress that military operations against Iran have officially resumed, invoking his authority under the War Powers Resolution to continue military action for a new 60-day period without seeking fresh congressional authorization.
In a letter dated July 10, Trump said the military campaign, which began on July 7, was undertaken as part of his constitutional responsibility to protect U.S. citizens and American interests at home and abroad.
The notification followed the official expiration of a two-month ceasefire between the United States and Iran. The truce, which had been in place since April, was repeatedly tested in recent weeks by reciprocal military actions before ultimately collapsing.
Officials at the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have said American forces struck more than 300 military targets inside Iran over the past week, describing the operations as a response to alleged Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also announced that the United States would reimpose a naval blockade on Iran and seek to take control of security operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
The decision has renewed political debate in Washington over the limits of presidential authority to initiate or continue military operations without explicit congressional approval. Although both the Senate and the House of Representatives have previously supported resolutions seeking to limit those powers, such measures are not automatically binding and could be vetoed by the president.
Trump concluded his letter by stating that U.S. forces would remain prepared to conduct further military operations for as long as Iran is considered a threat to the United States and its allies.
