War powers debate intensifies in US after Trump orders Iran attack

Key members of the US Congress are demanding a swift vote on a war powers resolution that would restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran unless the administration wins their approval.

This comes amid reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the major attack on Iran launched on Saturday by Israel and the United States. There was no immediate comment from the US or Iran on his status.

In response, Iran launched attacks throughout the Middle East, with strikes reported in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait – places with US military bases, or that are allied to the US.

Both the House and Senate, where the president’s Republican Party has a slim majority, had already drafted such resolutions long before the strikes on Saturday.

Now they are ready to plunge into a rare war powers debate next week that will serve as a referendum on Trump’s decision to go it alone on military action without formal authorisation from Congress.

Nearly two months earlier, Trump ordered US strikes that toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.