Democratic senator: No end to Iran conflict in sight

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned on Sunday that there’s no end in sight to the escalating military conflict with Iran, which spread to Israel and at least eight Arab countries over the weekend.

Warner said the elimination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders such as the heads of Iran’s national defense council, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and armed forces was “good for the region” but he warned that retaliatory strikes from Iran could drag on for days or weeks longer.

“For anyone to pretend or assume that this is over at this point, that Iran is not going to continue to strike back — thank God, so far it appears we have not lost any of our service members — but the president himself said on Friday night when he launched this war that he expected casualties,” Warner said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

The U.S. military announced later Sunday morning, after Warner’s interview, that three servicemembers were killed. Another five were seriously injured during the military operation, according to Central Command.

Warner argued that President Trump needs to make the case to Congress for why the strikes against Iran were launched and to justify the danger now faced by U.S. troops and allies in the region from Iranian counterstrikes.

Iranian missiles have killed nine people in the Israel city of Beit Shemesh and hit targets Sunday morning in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

Warner said he had not reviewed any intelligence in the days leading up to the attacks to indicate that Iran was planning a strike against U.S. forces or its allies.

“I saw no intelligence that Iran was on the verge of launching any kind of preemptive strike against the United States of America,” he said.

Warner and other members of the “gang of eight,” which includes party leaders and the top members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, received a classified briefing from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe last week.

Warner told reporters after last week’s briefing that it was “incumbent” on Trump to make the case to the American people why military strikes against Iran would be in the nation’s interest.

Trump told lawmakers at the State of the Union address Tuesday that Iran was developing a weapon that could reach targets in the United States.

“They have already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas—and they are working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States,” Trump told lawmakers.

Warner on Sunday said Trump “needs to come before Congress and the American people and ask for a declaration of war.”

“He does not have the right to do this on his own. I don’t believe that the vast majority of American people, whether they are MAGA supporters or not, want us to engage in another potentially endless war,” he said.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome is on the rise: What symptoms to watch for

A big change is coming to Social Security that beneficiaries may not notice

3 US servicemembers killed in Iran military operation: CENTCOM

Live updates: Trump warns against retaliation as Iran says it will do ...

Trump seeks regime change after strike on Iran, say supreme leader Khamenei is ...

How US strikes on Iran could trigger a wider war with its proxies

Cuba faces ‘zero hour’ as Trump, Rubio put squeeze on regime

Senate Democrat: Trump pick ‘not qualified’ to lead National Security Agency

Iranian president, supreme leader believed to be alive after US attack: Iran FM

Iran names interim leadership after Khamenei killing

Why young voters are moving away from Trump

US-Israeli strikes on Iran result in Khamenei’s death: 5 things to know

Oman foreign minister expresses dismay at US strikes on Iran: ‘This is not ...

Trump’s surgeon general nominee short on votes to win confirmation 

Five takeaways as Trump wages war on Iran

Democrats warn GOP that Bill and Hillary Clinton testimony will boomerang on ...

Was this Trump’s last State of the Union? 

Hegseth cancels troop attendance at top-ranked schools

© The Hill