(NEXSTAR) - U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a War Powers Resolution on Wednesday, rejecting a Democratic effort to restrain the president from launching further military strikes against Iran without congressional consent. The vote comes as fighting in the Middle East reaches new levels and the Pentagon reports the sinking of an Iranian warship. The resolution failed in a vote that fell mostly along party lines, though some lawmakers broke ranks. Democrats argued the executive branch has no right to attack Iran without the consent of Congress, while Republicans maintained that the strikes were necessary to address an imminent nuclear threat. The political standoff occurs as the U.S. military confirms six American soldiers have been killed in the conflict so far. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Democrat minority leader, framed the vote as a defining moment for the chamber. "Today every senator, every single one will pick a side," Schumer said before the resolution was blocked. Democrats have consistently argued that the president lacks the constitutional right to launch such attacks without the express consent of Congress. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, spoke against the ongoing military engagements in the Middle East. "We don't need illegal wars we don't forever wars," Kaine said. Despite these concerns, the vote remained mostly partisan, with only a few senators crossing party lines. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, joined Democrats in support of the resolution, while Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, voted with Republicans. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of the military strikes. Following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Graham addressed the Senate floor to echo administration claims that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is an imminent threat to the U.S. and Israel. "If someone's threatening to kill your family you don't wait for them to go to the gun store," Graham said. He added that Netanyahu believes the conflict could lead to significant regional shifts, stating, "when this regime collapses Prime Minister of Israel said a gateway to peace will be open." Military operations have intensified recently, including a naval engagement where a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the vessel was destroyed by a torpedo, describing the event as a "quiet death." Hegseth maintained that the Pentagon is prepared for a prolonged conflict to ensure a total surrender. "We can sustain this fight easily for as long as we need to," Hegseth said. The human cost of the conflict was highlighted Wednesday night when the Pentagon released a photo of Major Jeffrey O'Brien, the latest American soldier killed in the fighting. O'Brien is the sixth U.S. soldier killed since the start of the current hostilities. These casualties have prompted further questions from lawmakers regarding the endgame of the military campaign. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, expressed frustration over the lack of a clear exit strategy from the administration. "It is not clear at all when they plan to end this war," Markey said. "They're making this up as they go." While the Pentagon continues its strategy of maximum pressure, projections regarding how long the war will last remain unanswered. House lawmakers are expected to hold a vote on a War Powers Resolution next. While Republicans are poised to strike the measure down, some officials have left the door open for another congressional vote if the war continues. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published