By Sabiu Abdullahi
The United States House of Representatives on Thursday approved a resolution calling on President Donald Trump to halt military operations against Iran, marking another congressional challenge to the administration as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies.
The measure passed by a vote of 214 to 208 after four Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in support. It directs the president to withdraw US forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress formally authorises military action.
However, the resolution is largely symbolic because it is a concurrent resolution. It does not require the president’s signature, and its legal effect remains disputed. As a result, Trump is widely expected to disregard it.
The vote came as the United States launched its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets. Iran has also continued attacks on US military bases and allied Gulf states.
The remains of four American service members killed in recent Iran-related attacks were returned to the United States this week and honoured in flag-draped caskets.
The conflict has also affected maritime security in the region. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said on Wednesday that it attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea after announcing a naval blockade. Iran has also maintained pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
Thursday’s vote reflected growing concern among lawmakers over the conflict, which began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. The war has also become a political issue for Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.
Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal criticised the military campaign, saying it had “no clear mission, no strategy, no end goal.”
Democrats argued that President Trump breached the Constitution by launching and continuing military operations without congressional approval. They have repeatedly used war powers resolutions to force Republicans to take a public position on the conflict.
Most Republican lawmakers, however, remained supportive of the president.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast accused critics of overlooking the sacrifices made by American troops killed in the conflict. He said the military campaign was bringing a “reckoning” for Iranian attacks.
The Senate also considered a separate war powers resolution sponsored by Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen on Thursday, although it was expected to fail.
Congress passed a similar resolution in June, but Trump dismissed it as “poorly timed and meaningless.”
The White House has maintained that limiting the president’s military authority would weaken the United States in its efforts to pressure Tehran. Democrats and a small group of Republicans have argued that Congress should reclaim its constitutional authority over decisions relating to war and peace.
