The United States Senate has voted in favor of invoking war powers to force President Donald Trump to halt his military campaign against Iran or seek congressional approval before further action. Tuesday's vote marks the 10th attempt by Congress to rein in the US-Israel war on Iran.

The House of Representatives approved a similar measure on June 3 by a vote of 215 to 208, and the Senate passed it 50-48. Trump's Republican Party holds slim majorities in both chambers.

Top Democrat Chuck Schumer advocated for the resolution, criticizing Trump's campaign: "For years, Trump promised to put maximum pressure on Iran, but he ended up delivering maximum confusion, maximum chaos, maximum cost to the American people with his disastrous war."

Before the vote, some Republican senators warned the resolution would weaken Trump's standing in Switzerland negotiations. Senator James Risch said: "If this passes, the Iranians are going to simply stand up and walk away from negotiations."

The resolution directs the president to remove US armed forces from hostilities against Iran, allowing only limited presence to prevent an imminent attack. Trump would need explicit congressional authorization for further military force.

Four Republicans crossed party lines: Bill Cassidy, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Rand Paul. Two Republicans did not vote. The lone Democrat voting against was John Fetterman.

Experts say the resolution is largely symbolic, as it lacks the force of law. The Trump administration could bypass it using limited authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs), as previous administrations have done.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 24% of Americans believe the war with Iran was worth the cost, reflecting its deep unpopularity.

Source: www.aljazeera.com