US House passes symbolic Iran war powers rebuke to Trump

The US House of Representatives passed a largely symbolic resolution Thursday calling for President Donald Trump to halt military action against Iran, in another congressional rebuke as the Middle East war escalated.

The measure passed 214-208 after four Republicans joined Democrats in support. It directs Trump to remove US forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress explicitly authorizes the war. Because it is a concurrent resolution, it does not go to the president for signature and has disputed legal force, meaning Trump is almost certain to ignore it.

The vote came after the United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian military targets, described as its 12th consecutive night of attacks. Iran has fired on US bases and American-allied Gulf states. Four US service personnel killed in recent Iran-related attacks were honored this week as their remains returned to the United States in flag-draped cases.

The conflict has also spread across regional shipping lanes. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Wednesday that they had struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after declaring a maritime blockade. Iran has kept pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.

The House vote showed growing unease in Congress over a war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February and has become a political burden for Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections.

Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who introduced the resolution, called the vote a victory for Americans who want Trump to end what she called an illegal war. Democrats have used repeated war powers votes to force Republicans to take positions on the conflict, arguing that Trump violated the Constitution by launching and continuing military operations without congressional approval.

Most Republicans supported the president. House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast accused critics of failing to recognize the sacrifice of US troops killed in the conflict and said the operation was bringing a reckoning for Iranian attacks.

The Senate narrowly rejected a separate Democratic-led war powers measure soon after the House vote. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked when Senate Republicans would say enough and said they lose credibility with Americans each time they vote against ending Trump's war.

War powers votes are usually close and often depend on attendance. Congress passed a non-binding resolution in June, but Trump dismissed that vote as poorly timed and meaningless. The White House has argued that efforts to limit Trump's authority would weaken Washington as it seeks to pressure Tehran. Democrats and a small number of Republicans argue that Congress must reclaim its constitutional role over decisions of war and peace.