U.S. Airstrikes in Iran Continue Amid Congressional Funding Dispute and Rising Oil Prices

2026-07-22

The BareStory

The United States military has conducted an 11th consecutive night of airstrikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, according to military officials, as the conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz persists. The ongoing hostilities pushed global oil prices up by approximately 4% on Wednesday, with Brent crude trading near $95 per barrel. Although U.S. Central Command asserted that the strategic shipping lane remains open, maritime industry experts reported that large, internationally-owned merchant vessels are currently avoiding the waterway due to security risks.

In Washington, the conflict has sparked a major budget debate. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before a Senate committee to request $67 billion in supplemental funding, stating the five-month conflict has cost the U.S. roughly $37.5 billion. However, legislative and defense sources claim the actual expenses are significantly higher. Senate Democratic appropriators, including Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray, rejected the request, arguing it is not an emergency and that the administration is attempting to bypass the standard appropriations process.

During the hearings, Hegseth clashed with Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Gary Peters, who accused the administration of lacking a clear strategy to resolve the war. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts remain stalled. Speaking at an ASEAN meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that control of the Strait of Hormuz is the primary obstacle to negotiations, claiming Iran violated a recent memorandum of understanding. President Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. will target Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, for any future attacks on commercial shipping in the strait.

Left Perspective

Disrupting Stability Through Escalation
Shielding Democratic Budgetary Oversight
Resisting the Cycle of Uncapped Warfare

Right Perspective

Enforcing Security Through Deterrence
Funding Strategic Military Readiness
Establishing Uncompromising Red Lines

Left Perspective

• Disrupting Stability Through Escalation Diplomatic de-escalation must be prioritized over prolonged military intervention, which frequently exacerbates the very instability it claims to resolve. The 11 consecutive nights of airstrikes have failed to secure the Strait of Hormuz, instead triggering a 4% surge in global oil prices to $95 per barrel and causing merchant vessels to flee the waterway despite Central Command's assurances. This demonstrates that aggressive military actions often yield counterproductive economic consequences and increase regional volatility rather than fostering peace.

• Shielding Democratic Budgetary Oversight Executive overreach must be constrained by maintaining strict legislative control over defense spending to prevent open-ended military entanglements. Rejecting the $67 billion supplemental funding request—especially when actual expenses are believed to exceed the stated $37.5 billion cost—is a necessary defense of standard appropriations processes. Bypassing these established democratic channels under the guise of an emergency undermines congressional authority and allows the administration to evade accountability for an ongoing conflict.

• Resisting the Cycle of Uncapped Warfare Military force without a clear diplomatic off-ramp creates a dangerous cycle of escalation that lacks an achievable end-state. Pointing out the administration's lack of a coherent strategy highlights the danger of relying on threats to target civilian infrastructure like power plants and bridges. This punitive approach risks severe humanitarian fallout and permanently derails diplomatic avenues, such as the violated memorandum of understanding, without offering a viable path to long-term stability.

Right Perspective

• Enforcing Security Through Deterrence National security and global economic stability depend on the decisive projection of military force to keep vital maritime trade corridors open. Conducting 11 consecutive nights of airstrikes is a necessary response to secure the Strait of Hormuz, where disruption has already driven Brent crude to $95 per barrel. Establishing a credible threat of force is the only reliable mechanism to deter hostile state actors from targeting international shipping and to eventually restore the confidence of merchant vessels.

• Funding Strategic Military Readiness Safeguarding national interests during an active conflict requires immediate and flexible funding rather than bureaucratic delays. The $67 billion supplemental request, following a $37.5 billion expenditure over five months, is essential to sustain high-tempo operations and maintain military dominance in a critical theater. Viewing this strategic necessity as a non-emergency ignores the immediate realities of global conflict and risks undermining operational capabilities at a critical juncture.

• Establishing Uncompromising Red Lines Sustained peace can only be achieved by imposing severe, unacceptable costs on adversaries who violate international norms and agreements. Emphasizing that Iran's violation of the memorandum of understanding is the primary obstacle to negotiations justifies the explicit warning to target power plants and bridges if commercial shipping is attacked. Establishing these clear, high-stakes boundaries prevents further aggression by demonstrating a resolute commitment to defend strategic global assets at all costs.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• You may experience higher fuel costs in the short term due to a four percent increase in global oil prices, with Brent crude rising to nearly ninety-five dollars per barrel.

• Your taxpayer funds are directly impacted by the high cost of the conflict, which has already reached thirty-seven point five billion dollars, with defense officials requesting an additional sixty-seven billion dollars in supplemental funding.

• You could face potential long-term disruptions to goods and shipping as international merchant vessels avoid the strategic Strait of Hormuz due to security risks.

• You could see the country commit to a more intensive, long-term military engagement if the government acts on warnings to target Iranian infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges.

U.S. Airstrikes in Iran Continue Amid Congressional Funding Dispute and Rising Oil Prices

The BareStory

Left Perspective

Right Perspective

How it may affect me

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