Washington, D.C. — June 13, 2025
Just as renewed diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran were set to resume, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a sudden military strike and declared a state of emergency — triggering strong backlash from within the U.S. Congress.
In a pointed statement, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) warned against American involvement in another foreign conflict, criticizing Netanyahu’s move as a deliberate provocation.
“Just as talks with Iran were set to resume, Netanyahu launches a strike and declares a state of emergency,” Omar stated Friday. “He is provoking a war Americans don’t want.”
Omar, known for her outspoken stance on foreign policy and U.S.-Israel relations, accused Netanyahu of dragging America toward war to serve “his own agenda of death and destruction.”
“We should not allow ourselves to be dragged into yet another conflict, against our will, by a foreign leader,” she said, urging the Trump administration to hold firm against pressure to escalate.
President Trump, in public remarks Thursday evening, voiced his “full support” for Netanyahu’s actions, calling them “necessary measures to defend our greatest ally.” Administration officials have suggested that the U.S. is prepared to respond to any retaliatory move by Iran, raising fears of a broader military conflict.
Many lawmakers, however, are pushing back. Several members of Congress from both parties have called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. Critics argue that Trump’s alignment with Netanyahu risks undermining American interests and dragging the country into another costly war in the Middle East.
Omar, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has long warned against what she describes as U.S. foreign policy being hijacked by aggressive allies. “This is not in the interest of the American people,” she said. “This is about power and destruction — and we must say no.”
As tensions escalate, pressure is building on Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over war powers and prevent unilateral action.