The resolution passed 215-208 after a small group of Republicans joined Democrats in defying President Donald Trump, reflecting growing concern in Congress over the cost and duration of the war.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the conflict had cost U.S. taxpayers more than $100 billion and weakened America’s position, calling it a “reckless and costly war of choice.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the measure, arguing that Trump remains focused on securing a lasting resolution and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route disrupted by the conflict.

The resolution now shifts attention to the Senate, where a similar measure has already advanced with bipartisan support but has yet to receive a final vote.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that congressional restrictions could undermine U.S. leverage in negotiations with Tehran, while lawmakers continue debating the balance of war-making powers between Congress and the White House.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said previous administrations had considered action against Cuba for decades and suggested he could be the president to pursue it. While he did not outline specific plans, his remarks marked the latest escalation in Washington’s rhetoric toward the communist-run island.

Rubio, speaking separately in Miami before departing for meetings in Europe and India, said the administration’s preferred outcome remained a negotiated settlement but acknowledged doubts that meaningful progress could be achieved with Cuba’s current leadership.

“The president’s preference is always a negotiated agreement that’s peaceful,” Rubio said, adding that prospects for such an outcome were limited given the current political environment in Havana.

The comments came one day after U.S. federal prosecutors announced an indictment accusing Castro of ordering the 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft operated by Cuban exiles based in Miami. The charges include murder and destruction of an aircraft. Cuban authorities have rejected the case, with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel describing it as a political maneuver intended to justify potential aggression against the island.

The indictment has fueled speculation that the Trump administration may be considering a more confrontational approach toward Cuba. Analysts have drawn comparisons to Washington’s earlier operation against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces earlier this year and faces federal criminal charges in the United States.

Senior U.S. officials, including Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have held discussions with Cuban representatives in recent months aimed at improving relations. Rubio said those contacts failed to produce meaningful results and contributed to the administration’s decision to impose additional sanctions on Havana.

Among the latest measures are sanctions targeting Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate controlled by Cuba’s armed forces. Rubio also announced that a relative of the group’s executive president had been detained by U.S. immigration authorities after her legal residency status was revoked.

The administration argues that Cuba presents a national security challenge because of its security and intelligence ties with China and Russia, as well as its relationships with governments viewed as adversarial by Washington.

China rejected the U.S. position on Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing supports Cuba’s sovereignty and opposes external interference and sanctions.

The heightened tensions come as the U.S. military conducts exercises in the Caribbean involving the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and accompanying vessels. U.S. Southern Command said the deployments are part of previously scheduled maritime operations with regional partners.

Trump has increasingly linked future relations with Cuba to demands that Havana expand economic openness and reduce ties with U.S. geopolitical rivals, while continuing to tighten sanctions pressure on the island’s government.

Trump praised U.S. military forces for executing aerial attacks targeting the Houthis’ bases, leadership, and missile defenses.

The United States launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen on Saturday, with President Donald Trump pledging to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Iran-backed rebel group ceases its attacks on commercial and naval vessels in the region.

Trump also issued a stern warning to Iran, demanding that it withdraw support for the Houthis or face consequences. “We will hold Iran fully accountable for the actions of its proxy,” Trump declared.

Military Action and Presidential Statement

In a social media post, Trump praised U.S. military forces for executing aerial attacks targeting the Houthis’ bases, leadership, and missile defenses. He emphasized that the strikes were necessary to protect American interests and restore navigational freedom in the region.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump wrote. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”

The president announced the strikes while spending the day at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Casualties and Damage

The first U.S. strikes since Trump’s return to office reportedly resulted in at least 31 deaths and 101 injuries, according to Houthi sources. The casualties are said to include women and children.

The strikes targeted multiple locations, including the capital city of Sanaa, the northern province of Saada, and military sites near the Sanaa airport. Additional attacks were reported in the provinces of Hodeida, Bayda, and Marib.

Images circulating on social media showed plumes of black smoke rising over the affected areas.

Reasons Behind the Airstrikes

The strikes follow the Houthis’ recent announcement that they would resume attacks on Israeli-linked vessels in retaliation for Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The group had warned of targeting vessels in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in late 2023, the Houthis have been responsible for over 100 attacks on merchant vessels, sinking two ships and killing four sailors.

The United States, Israel, and the United Kingdom had previously conducted joint strikes against Houthi targets, but Saturday’s operation was executed solely by U.S. forces.

Houthi and Iranian Response

Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, vowed that the airstrikes would not deter their operations and warned of retaliation against the U.S. Mohamed Abdulsalam, a spokesperson for the group, dismissed Trump’s claims about threats to international shipping as “false and misleading.”

Iran, which has long provided financial and military support to the Houthis, has not yet issued an official response to the latest strikes.

Broader Implications

The airstrikes come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Just two weeks ago, Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders proposing a pathway for renewed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. The president has made clear that he will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, further raising the stakes in the region.

As the conflict in Yemen intensifies, the duration and extent of U.S. military action remain uncertain. A U.S. official, speaking to the Associated Press, confirmed that strikes will continue but provided no timeline for their conclusion.