Rubio faces Congress over U.S.-Iran war and fragile ceasefire

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is appearing before Congress on Tuesday for the first time since the war against Iran began, with lawmakers expected to press him on the fragile ceasefire and the latest exchanges of fire between Washington and Tehran. He is due to take part in two back-to-back hearings in the House and Senate on the State Department's annual budget request.

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But the hearings are likely to be dominated by questions about the conflict rather than spending plans. According to the supplied material, Rubio is testifying in Congress for the first time since the war began on 28 February. He had previously taken part in a closed-door meeting with lawmakers a few days after the first U.S. and Israeli strikes, where Democrats criticised the lack of prior congressional authorisation for the operation.

Republicans largely backed the administration at that stage, but the political mood has shifted over the past two months. The conflict has now become a broader domestic political issue in Washington. A small but growing group of Republicans has joined Democrats in questioning the war's cost and its economic impact, particularly with midterm elections due in the second half of the year.

The war has also reduced tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route that normally carries about 20% of the world's traded oil and natural gas, and the disruption has pushed up fuel prices. The hearings matter because they bring together foreign policy, war powers and budget oversight at a moment when the ceasefire is under strain. Lawmakers are expected to ask how durable the truce is, what the administration's objectives are, and whether the conflict can be contained after recent attacks.

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The issue also goes to the heart of the long-running debate in Washington over presidential authority to launch military action without advance approval from Congress. The supplied material says the administration, including Rubio, has defended President Donald Trump's decision to start the conflict, despite his repeated promises over the years to avoid U.S. involvement in "endless wars" in the Middle East. It also notes that Trump's stated goals have shifted frequently, making that defence harder to sustain.

That uncertainty has added to scrutiny from lawmakers who want clearer answers on strategy, costs and the legal basis for the war. One legislative sign of that pressure came last month, when the Senate advanced a proposal that would require Trump to withdraw the United States from the conflict. The measure gained momentum after Republican senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana backed it, following a primary defeat in which Trump supported his opponent.

What remains unclear is whether the ceasefire can hold, how far the administration is prepared to go, and whether congressional opposition will continue to build in the days ahead.

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