U.S. Military Operation Against Iran Could Stretch Beyond Initial Timeline as Death Toll Rises

President Trump says the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran could take longer than the four to five weeks originally projected, though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists "this is not Iraq, this is not endless."

The operation has already claimed six American service members' lives as Iran strikes back. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was hit by drones Monday, though a Saudi official says no one was injured. Several embassies across the region are now closing and ordering non-emergency personnel to leave.

The escalation is stranding American travelers as thousands of flights are canceled. "All of a sudden we're in the middle of a war zone," said Chris Elliott, an American stuck in Jerusalem.

Congress is getting a full briefing today after top leadership received early briefings Monday. In a new war powers notification to Congress, Trump acknowledged it's not possible to know the full scope and duration of the operation.

Leading Democrats who got the early briefings are questioning whether Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S. "There was a threat to Israel," said Senator Mark Warner. "If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision, saying the administration knew Israel was preparing to strike Iran and the U.S. acted first to prevent a chain reaction. "There absolutely was an imminent threat," Rubio said. "And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us."

Trump is vowing to destroy Iran's missile capabilities and navy, ensure they never get a nuclear weapon, and stop them from arming terrorists.