Ohio 13th Congressional District Congresswoman Emilia Sykes

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  Ohio 13th Congressional District Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), an Akron Democrat and one of three Black women in congress from Ohio, is denouncing President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu's collaborative military attack and war on Iran, Trump promising during his State of the Union address Tuesday night that the U.S. will do anything possible to stop what he says is Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Sykes says Trump is acting like a dictator and must get congressional approval to launch a war against Iran. Over 200 casualties have been reported thus far, coupled with hundreds of injuries to others.

"Once again, President Trump has launched illegal military strikes on a foreign country without congressional authorization. These attacks escalate tensions in the Middle East, put American service members at risk, and endanger civilians in Iran," said Rep. Sykes. "The Iranian government is brutal and oppressive, and the Iranian people deserve safety and freedom. But military action without clear objectives or a legal mandate is reckless and unconstitutional."

Sykes went on to say that "at a time when American families are facing economic challenges at home, we should not be asked to bear the costs of another open‑ended conflict. Congress must be briefed immediately and assert its constitutional responsibility before this escalates further."

Below is more background on the Israeli and U.S. military strike on Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.

• IRAN'S LEADERS TARGETED: Israel targeted Iranian political and military leaders, two U.S. officials told NBC News, while the U.S. aimed to take out Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs. Trump announced on his Truth Social website that Iranian President Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed.
• TRUMP URGES REGIME CHANGE: Trump urged Iranians to “take over your government” when the strikes are over. “The hour of your freedom is at hand,” he said.
• DEATH TOLL: The Iranian Red Crescent said that more than 200 people have been killed and roughly 700 others have been injured following the attacks.
• IRAN RETALIATION: Iran responded by firing missiles at Israel as well as at U.S. bases across the region in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, sending ripples across the Middle East.
• Kathy Wray Coleman is a longtime Cleveland journalist, blogger, and digital and investigative reporter, and a seasoned community activist and community organizer.
• Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio and the Midwest. Tel. 216-659-0473. Email-editor@clevelandurbannews.com.