Rubio Tells Congress: The War in Iran Is Over

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the war in Iran is over, sticking to that line under sharp questioning from House Democrats. Rubio continued to claim that the war in Iran is over during testimony before lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

What Rubio said

A House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing repeatedly turned contentious as Secretary of State Marco Rubio was grilled on President Donald Trump’s fitness for office, the war with Iran and even Rubio’s shoes.

Rep. Sara Jacobs questioned Rubio on his assertion that the war in Iran is over, telling him he won’t admit President Trump is losing what she called a reckless war of choice.

Strikes and ceasefire claims

Trump suggested that a ceasefire between the US and Iran remains in place despite recent strikes in the region and that negotiations have gone “very well.”

Iran said it targeted US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, in response to US attacks. The Strait of Hormuz remains the key tape-watcher for energy markets.

Do you want to see how to make more plays? Do you want to find gains yourself?

Unusual Whales helps you find market opportunities through our market tide, historical options flow, GEX, and much, much more.

Create a free account here to start conquering the market with Unusual Whales.

Congress pushes back

The House passed a resolution to limit Trump’s war powers in Iran, a significant rebuke to the US president and his handling of the conflict.

The Pentagon, State Department and USAID inspectors general also launched a joint review of the US war, as mandated by law for overseas military operations exceeding 60 days.

Options market and stocks to watch

If the conflict really is winding down, energy and defense names are the obvious tape to watch. Look for repricing in crude-linked equities and defense primes if ceasefire language firms up, or the opposite if strikes keep landing.

• XOM: watch for crude beta as Strait of Hormuz headlines move oil.
• CVX: similar setup to XOM, sensitive to Middle East risk premium.
• LMT: defense prime, watch for flow tied to munitions and missile-defense demand.
• RTX: missile-defense exposure; ceasefire chatter vs. fresh strikes both move it.
• USO: cleanest crude proxy if traders want to express a Hormuz view.

For more market-moving headlines, keep an eye on the tape.

Want more market intelligence? Create your free Unusual Whales account for options flow, market tide, GEX, and the full toolkit.