US Conducts 12th Night of Strikes on Iran as Houthis Hit Saudi Tankers, Oil Tops $100 and Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia Sparks Controversy

The US House passed a symbolic war powers resolution on Iran while Republicans simultaneously moved to fund the conflict with a $95 billion bill.

The US has now conducted 12 consecutive nights of airstrikes against Iran, with attacks widening to western and central Iran and targeting military infrastructure including missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed the war has cost $37.5 billion so far, and 18 US troops have been killed in the conflict. A significant new front opened when Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, with one vessel confirmed ablaze. The Houthis had previously threatened to attack shipping using Saudi ports on the Red Sea. The escalation pushed oil prices past $100 per barrel. The US signed a landmark nuclear technology deal with Saudi Arabia that could allow the kingdom to enrich uranium domestically in the future. The deal, which will be submitted to Congress for review, drew criticism over fears of inadequate proliferation safeguards and the risk of a regional nuclear arms race — particularly as the US war with Iran is being fought in part to prevent Tehran from enriching uranium. The deal was immediately thrown into turmoil when Trump said it was contingent on Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel, a condition Riyadh has long resisted. Trump reiterated his threat of a 'massive attack' on Iran, saying a decision is close. Iran responded with warnings of an 'eye for an eye' retaliation, threatening to destroy infrastructure and halt Gulf oil flow if the US follows through. Iran's IRGC also claimed that a UK base in southwest England was used to launch US bombing missions, making it a 'legitimate target,' prompting the UK government to say it is 'ready to defend itself.' UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the Security Council that the Middle East crisis is 'getting out of control,' with the region being pushed to the 'edge of the unimaginable.' A leaked US intelligence report concluded Iran retained 70% of its missiles and launchers after the initial campaign, underscoring Iran's continued capacity to inflict damage. In Congress, the House passed a war powers resolution directing Trump to end military operations against Iran — largely symbolic given Republican control — while House Republicans simultaneously advanced a $95 billion reconciliation bill to fund the war. At least one senator has warned publicly of the risk of 'another forever war.' Trump has said the war's mounting death toll and cost 'won't have any impact on me.'

Why it matters

At $37.5 billion spent and a $95 billion funding bill under discussion, the financial and human stakes of the Iran conflict are escalating rapidly. The war powers resolution highlights a constitutional tension over which branch controls military engagement, though the Democratic minority currently lacks the votes to force a change in course.

What's next

Watch whether the $95 billion reconciliation bill advances through the Senate and whether the war powers resolution prompts any formal White House response or legal challenge.

Key facts

Bias & framing notes

All four sources are from The Guardian, which limits independent corroboration and introduces a potential single-outlet framing risk. The coverage leans heavily on the war's costs, unpopularity, and the symbolic limits of Democratic opposition, with Trump's dismissiveness framed critically. The administration's stated strategic rationale for the war is largely absent from the reporting, and no spokesperson or official justification for the military campaign itself is surfaced in any of the four pieces.

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