After President Donald Trump approved a military strike at three Iranian nuclear sites, USA Today is answering your questions about the conflict.
Iran agrees to a ceasefire, the State Department says
The US will keep both Israel and Iran in an agreed ceasefire, a State Department spokesperson said
- On June 13, Israel began attacking Iran and attacking nuclear facilities and other targets.
- On June 21, the US began strikes against three nuclear sites using a large bunker buster. bomb
- USA Today readers have asked a lot of questions about the attack. Here are some answers.
The US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21, with negotiations not reaching a contract for Tehran to end its nuclear program.
USA Today readers have asked a lot of questions about the attack and what’s coming next.
Some answers are listed below. Check for updates when you’re covering your questions more.
Why is the US involved?
President Donald Trump repeatedly warned that Iran should never be allowed to build nuclear weapons. However, the White House recently said Iran is “close” to developing nuclear weapons and could do so within weeks.
The US stormed three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21, using the military’s most powerful traditional weapon, the GBU-57 bunkerbuster, a 30,000-pound bomb that digs holes deep into the earth before it explodes.
The attack came after Israel began bombing Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13th. The reserve Pentagon Intelligence Assessment concludes an air attack that has retreated for several months, according to the intelligence agency, U.S. government sources. The White House pushed back the ratings.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt called the rating “flat out wrong” in a statement posted to X.
– Michael Collins, Cybele Mayes-Osterman Tom Vanden Brook
Why is Congress not responsible for its actions?
As commander of the military chief, Trump claims he had the discretion to bomb Iran to prevent nuclear weapons from occurring. But lawmakers point out that the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
At least three resolutions are pending in Congress to curb Trump’s use of troops in Iran amidst the conflict between the legislative and administrative sectors that hold the key to US attacks on other countries.
However, Republicans are pretty much in their support of Trump, so none of the measures could pass as GOP holds a majority in both rooms.
– Defeat Janssen
What other countries support Iran?
Russia, China and North Korea are Iran’s biggest allies.
Russia warns that the US’s direct actions against Iranian soils amount to “a dangerous escalation.” Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakich in Moscow on June 23, stating that the US attack was unjustified and that he called the aggression against Iran an unfounded attack. China and North Korea strongly condemned the US attack on Iran.
– Michael Collins And Natalie Neisa Aland
Will Iran close the Strait of Hormuz?
The Hormuz Strait is the main oil transport route and ferries around 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows.
The narrow channel has at one point narrowed down to just 21 miles, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. The choke point of the waterway is sandwiched between the Iranian coastline on one side and the small Oman Peninsula on the other.
Iran has recently threatened to mine the channel to effectively block oil transport. Iran’s Congress approved the measure the day after the US airstrikes were hit by three nuclear facilities, supporting the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, making it a possible option for retaliation, but the decision to close the channel ultimately belongs to Iran’s highest national security council.
-Kathryn Palmer and Janet Loehrke
How will war affect the US economy and oil prices?
After Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility and the US continued to take on more harmful strikes with its nuclear program, economists worried that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about a quarter of global oil shipped to sea.
ING Chief International Economist James Knightly Such a scenario was worried about bringing oil prices to $120, driving gasoline to $5 per gallon, and adding 1.5 percent points to inflation. However, US oil prices fell 7% after Iran launched a limited retaliatory strike at a US military base in Qatar this week, further downturning after President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
Israel accused Iran of violating the ceasefire, but Trump said it remains in effect. Capital Economics said the ceasefire is likely to prove vulnerable, but added that it appears that all sides have an incentive to spare key energy infrastructure. In that case, crude oil prices should continue to fall, the research company said.
– Paul Davidson
