Mississippi congressional leaders react to 'Operation Epic Fury' in Iran

However, University of Southern Mississippi history professor and USM’s Dale Center for the Study of War and Society fellow Heather Stur said there could be parallels between this war and that of those in Iraq and Afghanistan that may become more apparent in the aftermath of Khamenei’s death.

“What do you do when a government is toppled and there is potentially a power vacuum if you don't have a new government that could come in and take its place,” she said. “In that power vacuum is where different kinds of sectarian violence can begin. We saw that in Iraq in the aftermath of the U.S. Invasion in 2003.”

Mississippi’s five Republican congressional members have been supportive of the strikes.

In a statement, Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the U.S. Armed Forces Committee called the strikes against Iran “pivotal and necessary.”

“These are the hardest decisions that face any American commander-in-chief, and I appreciate that President Trump and his team conducted a comprehensive strategy using all tools of national power and a well-orchestrated military planning process,” he said.

Wicker believes President Trump’s goals are clear: to eliminate the potential of Iranian nuclear weapons, weaken its ballistic missile force, and destroy its naval and terrorism capabilities.

Mississippi’s fourth district congressional leader, Rep. Mike Ezell, said in a statement that Iran is facing the consequences of “its dangerous and destabilizing actions.”

“President Trump and his Administration have pursued diplomatic solutions, but protecting American citizens and service members must remain the top priority,” he said.

Reports suggest that Iran was still actively pursuing a diplomatic solution with the U.S. and other experts have suggested last year’s U.S. strikes in Iran severely weakened the country’s nuclear capabilities.

“It's still a question of ‘was this a threat to the United States or was this something that was allowed by international rules regarding nuclear production?’” said Stur. “So those are questions that are hard to answer right now.”

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith said in a statement that President Trump acted “decisively,” adding she was looking forward “to learning more from the administration about the scope and duration of this operation.”

Mississippi’s sole democratic congressman and the ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, Representative Bennie Thompson, denounced the operation for happening without Congressional approval or a clear strategy.

“As I’ve said before, we are more vulnerable to ensuing terrorism attacks today because of Trump’s reckless, inflammatory actions,” he said in a statement.

Trump has said a war lasting weeks is possible and has not ruled out sending in American ground troops.

“I think another thing that Americans have to think about is what are they willing to risk now that the U.S. government has launched what could become a long war in Iran,” said Stur. “To what degree is change in Iran something that Americans will accept the loss of American life for.”

Mississippi United, a group of activists, has called on Sen. Wicker to investigate the strikes and hold congressional hearings in a petition signed by more than 500 residents.

“Make no mistake Senator. We are well aware of the brutality of the Iranian regime. We are familiar with its decades of oppression against Iran’s own citizens, executing and imprisoning protesters and political dissidents, and exacting cruel and unjust treatment of women, religious minorities, and LGBTQ people,” they wrote.

However, they’re requesting public hearings meant to “inform the American people of the reasons for their sacrifice.”