Friends —

The picture is getting clearer — and worse.

Al-Monitor and U.S. Central Command now say American forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers tied to the IRGC on September 8 — the M/Ts Derya, Horizon, Kaviz, Charminar, and Riesco — after what the U.S. described as another attempted missile attack on a Navy warship. Strikes were reported around Kharg Island and near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier tonight the public conversation was still about three. CENTCOM's named list is five. When the official count moves, Delawareans deserve the update — not the spin.

Iran's IRGC claimed fire on the USS Delbert D. Black and the USS John Paul Jones; the U.S. said a warship and crew were unharmed in Tuesday's attempt. The IRGC, via Iranian media, warned crews to abandon or move tankers at Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports or be targeted. Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base at Al-Azraq remains in the retaliatory frame — with contested claims about intercepts and damage that I will not treat as settled until wires agree.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia, according to Reuters: "Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers." That is a promise of more of the same.

Meanwhile Brent crude traded near $99.49 early Wednesday. Working families in Delaware feel forever war at the pump. Reporting also describes Houthi strikes into Saudi Arabia with Saudi officials citing dozens wounded — a figure I flag as theirs until independently confirmed — and a fresh U.S. aviation-sanctions tranche aimed at isolating Iran's commercial airlines.

I spent years as a nurse. I worked critical care, including under Department of Defense contract. I left the bedside after years on the front lines. I rebuilt in Delaware. Permanent conflict is not "small potatoes."

The Constitution gives Congress the war power for a reason. Endless war without clear ends, without democratic consent, without honest accounting — that is drift.

No Super PAC money. On November 3, write TRAVIS JACK STEVENS. travisjackstevens.com

With gratitude and determination, Travis Jack Stevens Declared Write-In Candidate for U.S. Senate — Delaware No Super PAC money. Ever.