U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley shared insight and perspective this week on the situation in the Middle East. On February 28th, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran. Since then, Iran has responded by launching attacks on Israel and U.S. allied states in the Gulf, which have extended to non-military targets, including civilian sites and energy facilities.

As of March 8th, seven U.S. service members have been killed in total. Two are from Iowa: Major Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Waukee, and Sergeant Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines. 

Grassley spoke on the reasoning behind the attack, “Either through American intelligence connected with Israeli intelligence, we knew that about 50 people running Iran, and the same people that have been saying, ‘Death to America’ for about 50 years. They had evidence that these people were going to all be gathered in one place, and they could possibly be eliminated. So let’s say congress had to debate that for a week before it happened, what happened on the first day of bombing and killing leaders of Iran that have been saying for 50 years, ‘Death to America, death to Israel.’ We got them. It would have never happened if Congress had to debate.” 

When asked what he is hearing from his constituents in Iowa on the conflict he stated, “Not only continuing the conflict, but being there at all. We’ve had a lot more calls opposed to it than in favor of it.”  

There has been no clear indication from the administration when this conflict will end.