The U.S. and U.K.’s coordinated strikes Thursday evening on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels that have been wreaking havoc on international shipping routes in the Red Sea for weeks has been met with mostly bipartisan congressional support but some concerns over President Joe Biden’s seemingly unilateral executive action.
The two countries’ militaries targeted Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen in a series of bombings, with Biden warning in a White House statement that he will not hesitate “to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
Senators and representatives on both sides of the aisle have lauded the Biden administration’s decision to operate against the Houthi militia, while a few members of Congress have expressed concern over lack of congressional oversight.
Here are some of the reactions from the Capitol so far:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
I welcome the U.S. and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels. President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue.
I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror.
The United States and our allies must leave no room to doubt that the days of unanswered terrorist aggression are over.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif. 17)
The President’s strikes in Yemen are unconstitutional. For over a month, he consulted an international coalition to plan them, but never came to Congress to seek authorization as required by Article I of the Constitution. We need to listen to our Gulf allies, pursue de-escalation, and avoid getting into another…
