US House Votes to Halt Military Action Against Iran

The US House of Representatives has delivered President Donald Trump a rare rebuke, voting to halt military action in his war with Iran.

It comes as Mr Trump suggests there could be progress in peace negotiations with Iran as soon as this weekend.

Here's what to know.

What just happened?

The US House of Representatives voted in favour of a Democrat-led war powers resolution aimed at stopping ongoing military action in Iran until hostilities were authorised by Congress.

It would not force him to end the conflict entirely but could provide the first legal step to prevent further military action.

The House voted 215 to 208, with four Republicans crossing the floor to vote with Democrats.

This is the first time a war powers resolution to curb Mr Trump's military action in the Middle East has passed in the chamber, with three other motions previously failing.

What's next?

Don't expect this to change much right away.

The resolution still needs to be voted on in the Senate, and there's currently no indication of when that might happen.

Then the bill would go to Mr Trump's desk for his signature. Like any other bill, he can veto a war powers resolution if he chooses.

A two-thirds vote would be needed in both the House and the Senate to overturn a presidential veto.

And while the vote in the House on Wednesday evening, local time, was successful, it showed the numbers weren't quite there for a super-majority.

The Senate advanced a similar war powers resolution of its own last month, and a handful of GOP politicians broke ranks then, too, but the chamber has yet to take a final vote to approve or reject the measure.

Why are Republicans siding with Democrats?

Some Republicans have become increasingly restless as the conflict drags on, and as Mr Trump struggles to negotiate a plan for peace.

Mr Trump campaigned for the White House on a promise to end US entanglements abroad, and to focus more on domestic issues.

The war, which has driven up fuel prices in the US, is deeply unpopular among the American public.

An increasing number of Republicans have baulked at endorsing the conflict, especially with midterm elections now just five months away.

Vote tallies have inched higher each time Democrats have pushed a war powers resolution.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had previously tried to prevent an outcome that would show the mounting opposition to the war by abruptly shutting down floor action two weeks ago when the resolution that passed on Wednesday was on the verge of approval.

What has Trump said about the war?

The president hasn't offered his reaction to the resolution's progress yet, but he was speaking about the war from the Oval Office shortly before the vote went to the floor.

He said there could be progress on peace negotiations with Iran as soon as this weekend.

"It might not happen. It could happen over the weekend."

Mr Trump added that under a deal being discussed with Iran, "we will get" Tehran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which has been a major sticking point in negotiations.

While testifying at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran would think the administration's "hands are going to be tied" if Congress approved a war powers resolution.

He said they would think "we won't be able to do anything to them, so why make a deal?"

Has Congress declared war?

No, and that's created a legal dispute over which branch of government has ultimate say on matters of war and peace.

While Congress has the authority under the US Constitution to declare war, the president also has a 60-day window of power to engage in military action.

The administration, however, has indicated that because a ceasefire has been declared in the current conflict in Iran, the hostilities have ceased.

But John Hart, an American government specialist at the Australian National University, told the ABC in May the law referred to the commitment of troops, "and the troops are still there".