Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States knew an Israeli action was coming and struck preemptively to protect U.S. forces, then later said his comments were taken out of context.
- President Trump said he might have forced Israel’s hand to hit Iran first and described the joint operation as having a very powerful impact.
- Trump claimed the U.S. and Israel knocked out Iran’s navy, and U.S. Central Command said Iranian ships in the Gulf of Oman fell from 11 to zero after the strikes.
- Reporting highlighted that the administration has offered scant public evidence of an imminent Iranian attack, prompting questions about the strikes’ legal basis.
- Members of Congress vowed to introduce war powers resolutions this week, with critics ranging from Bernie Sanders to pro-Trump voices denouncing the rationale, and Trump faulting the U.K. and Spain as uncooperative.