Area’s Lawmakers React To Attacks On Iran

The area’s elected officials responded after U.S. and Israeli military forces launched a series of military strikes against Iran on Saturday morning.

The operation approved by President Donald Trump described the attacks as the start of “major combat operations” that could destabilize the country’s leadership.

The operation follows months of mounting tensions and what Trump characterized as a breakdown in negotiations.

In a pre-recorded video shared on social media early Saturday, the president said he authorized the strikes because he was “not happy” with the progress of talks with Iran, which were to continue next week.

Trump, who campaigned on a platform of avoiding foreign conflicts and wars, said lives of American servicemembers “may be lost, and we may have casualties.”

“That often happens in war. But we are doing this not for now, we are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission,” Trump added.

Reports from Sky News stated that high-ranking Iranian officials were among those killed in the Saturday morning raids.

Reuters reported that Trump believes the initial wave of the assault will provide the Iranian people with an opportunity to overthrow their current government.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told NBC News that his government had not received direct communication from U.S. officials after the start of the strikes.

Araqchi told NBC News that Iran is “ready for de-escalation.”

The military action has sparked backlash from some lawmakers who argue the president is circumventing the Constitution.

Several Democratic members of Congress and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, are calling for a vote to authorize the use of force.

“The Constitution requires a vote and your representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war,” Massie wrote in a social media post.

American president’s have long accused Iran of being a primary destabilizing force in the Middle East, a sentiment Trump echoed in his video announcement.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat representing the state:

“Operation Epic Fury.

“President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.

“God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.”

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican representing the state:

“For decades, the Iranian regime has killed Americans, threatened Israel and our allies in the region with their ballistic missiles and nuclear ambitions, and butchered tens of thousands of its own people. They are the world’s number one sponsor of terror.

“The president has given the ayatollahs a chance for a deal, and they have rejected a path to peace and prosperity.

“I am praying for our brave troops and our steadfast allies who stand with us during this challenging and noble mission.”

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican and member of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee and Chairman of the Central Intelligence Agency Subcommittee:

“For decades, the Iranian regime has methodically built a network of terror, proxy militias, missile proliferation, and regional coercion designed to destabilize the Middle East, threaten American interests, and openly calls for the destruction of sovereign nations. It arms and funds Hezbollah, Hamas, and other violent actors, orchestrates attacks against our allies, detains innocent civilians, and brutally suppresses its own people. It remains the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism.

“In the hands of the Ayatollah, a nuclear weapon would embolden aggression, shield terrorism, and fundamentally alter the security balance of the region and beyond. A nuclear-armed Iran is not an option.

“Iran and its proxies are responsible for countless deaths of Americans and our partners. That record is long, deliberate, and undeniable—and it cannot be ignored.  

“Of course, our national security posture must always be matched by fidelity to our Constitution at home. Any sustained or expanded military engagement should be done with the advice and consent of Congress. The American people deserve clarity of mission, defined objectives, and disciplined oversight.

“We draw a clear distinction between a repressive regime and the people it suppresses. Every human being is born with the inherent right to freedom and self-determination, regardless of where they are born or where they live. That principle is universal. Oppressive and abusive dictators must never be allowed to act with impunity.

“We stand with the Iranian people and with Iranian-Americans in their pursuit of liberty and human rights.

“We pray for the safety of our service members and for the Iranian people—and we remain steadfast in defending freedom wherever it is threatened.”

Fitzpatrick’s communications director did not immediately respond to a request for an interview with the congressman.