Republican-led House votes to end Iran war
The Republican-led House of Representatives voted 215-208 to end the Iran war. Four Republicans joined Democrats in voting.
DUBAI/WASHINGTON – The U.S. military said on Saturday, June 6, it shot down a drone launched by Iran into the Strait of Hormuz and then attacked a radar facility off the Iranian coast, as recent escalations complicate efforts to end the war between the two countries.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the U.S. military believes four Iranian drones were targeting maritime traffic in the region. U.S. Central Command said on its X news agency that U.S. forces then attacked Iranian observation posts on Gork and Qeshm islands in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States and Iran have been negotiating largely indirectly to secure an interim agreement to end the three-month war, but issues such as Iran’s nuclear program will be left to further negotiations.
As part of the deal, the Iranian government wants access to billions of dollars in oil revenues, exemptions from sanctions on crude oil exports, a lifting of the U.S. port blockade and influence over the strait. Before the war, Iran effectively closed off the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passed.
President Donald Trump faces increasing domestic political pressure due to rising gas prices to end an unpopular war. He told NBC that most of Iran’s drones and missile production facilities have been destroyed, but Iranians still have access to about a fifth of their missiles.
“They have some missiles, they have some drones, probably 21% to 22% of the missiles, percentage-wise. It’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not like when we first attacked,” Trump said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program, according to excerpts released by the network on June 5.
Asked why Iran’s leaders, as desperate as he portrayed them, were not more willing to strike a deal, President Trump said:
“Because they’re strong. They’re proud. Things they never thought they would do end up being what they have to do. They don’t have a choice, and it takes a little while.”
Israel and the United States began their war in late February by attacking Iran.
Fighting flares across the region
In parallel with the conflict in Lebanon, the Iran-allied militant group Hezbollah announced on June 5 that it had carried out two attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, including near the recently captured Beaufort Castle, while Lebanese security officials said Israeli airstrikes had hit towns across southern Lebanon.
Iran has reaffirmed its support for Hezbollah while demanding that Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon. Tehran has made a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a condition of a peace deal with Washington to resolve the regional war, which has entered its fourth month, and restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest fighting between Hezbollah and Israel broke out in early March, two days after the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran. Hezbollah said its actions were in support of Tehran.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem this week rejected a US-brokered deal between Israel and the Lebanese government aimed at halting fighting in Lebanon. The agreement did not provide for Israel’s withdrawal, and Hezbollah was not involved in the negotiations.
Israel continues to carry out attacks in southern Lebanon and has said it will not withdraw its troops or halt operations amid escalating tensions with the United States.
Navi Berri, speaker of the Lebanese parliament and a Hezbollah ally, said on Friday that he would agree to the group’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon if Israeli forces also leave occupied areas of the country.
In addition to Lebanon, residents of Gaza, northern Israel and Kuwait have also come under fire this week, despite a cease-fire negotiated by the United States that President Trump said included “a more moderate method of shooting” rather than a complete cessation of fighting.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Aidan Lewis and Nathan Lane; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
