In February 2026, the United States and Israel conducted military strikes against Iran, which resulted in the death of the Iranian dictator, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and started another major war in the Middle East. Five months later, it has become unclear how long this war will last or what the objective even is.

The past few months have seen a nonstop back-and-forth on the status of the war, creating a lot of confusion for the general public. Throughout the war, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital energy chokepoints and an important trading route. The closure of the straight has brought massive inflation to the U.S., with gas price averages rising close to $4 a gallon.

One moment, President Trump says that a peace deal is on the horizon; the next moment, U.S. strikes against Iran intensify. One moment talks about reopening the Strait of Hormuz see progress; the next moment, Iran closes the strait once again.

The Gateway Pundit spoke to lawmakers on Capitol Hill as fears arise that a new "forever war" is brewing in the Middle East and could last for years, even decades.

Senator Josh Hawley, R-MO, is hoping that the war will end very soon, while expressing gratitude that President Trump reimposed heavy oil sanctions on Iran:

"I'm glad the President put oil sanctions back on Iran. I don't know why we'd want to give them any money. I'm glad the President said that we will never, ever, ever give them a dime of U.S. money," Hawley told TGP in an exclusive interview.

"These people are unbelievable terrorists. Having said that, I wanna see the fighting stop as soon as possible. So y'know, we'll see. I think the President's doing a good job."

Senator John Kennedy, R-LA, expressed support for President Trump's handling of the Iran war and believes the president is "doing the right thing."