U.S. House votes to curb Trump's Iran war powers in 1st bipartisan rebuke

The U.S. Put up of Representatives for the number one clip on wed ‌backed a Democratic-led declaration aiming to stop the Iran war until hostilities are ​authorized by Congress, reflecting growing congressional ​concern, even among President Donald Trump's Republicans, over the war.

The ​House voted 215 to 208, ⁠as ⁠four Republicans ‌voted with Democrats in favour of the war powers resolution. It was the latest setback for Trump ⁠in Congress despite his party's slim majorities in both chambers.

The vote was ‌largely symbolic, as any resolution would also have to pass the Senate to become effective. And it must garner a ​two-thirds majorities in both chambers to overcome ⁠an almost certain Trump veto.

However, today's vote came after three previous war powers resolutions ⁠had ⁠failed ​in the House by increasingly slim margins. The Senate ⁠advanced a separate, but similar resolution last month in a procedural vote, after seven previous attempts had failed.

Kuwait airport hit by drone as Iran, U.S. Trade strikes

While a ceasefire in the conflict was declared in April, it remains uneasy and uncertain. Talks for a more durable end to the fighting have dragged, increasingly complicated by Israel's broadening war with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, military strikes between the U.S. And Iran continue to flare.

Flights at Kuwait International Airport were temporarily suspended Wednesday after an Iranian drone and missile attack damaged airport facilities and diplomatic missions, killing one person and injuring more than 60 others, Kuwaiti authorities and ​state media said.

Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways later resumed flights after taking safety measures, the ​civil aviation authority said.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards said they did not fire at Kuwait's airport and blamed the destruction on U.S. Interceptor missiles that failed to hit their targets, according to Iranian state media.

The U.S. Military said that was not accurate, and that Iranian drones targeted ​the airport deliberately.

The latest strike marked an ​escalation for the oil-rich Gulf country, which ​had seen relative calm since a ceasefire in the Iran war was announced on April 8. ​Iran had frequently launched missiles and drones ⁠at Kuwait — an American ally — as ‌well as at other Gulf states in the wake of the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran on Feb. 28.

Bahrain's army said it had intercepted ​three missiles and several drones as Iran said it had attacked the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the country, as well as an airbase and helicopters in another, unspecified, regional state.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it reserved the right to self-defence, saying Kuwait and Bahrain bore "direct and clear responsibility" for the attacks, alleging their territory and facilities had been used to support U.S. Military operations against Iran.

The U.S. Military said two Iranian missiles aimed at Kuwait fell short or broke up in flight, while several ​ballistic missiles failed to strike their targets in the region.

In further ‌signs of escalation, the U.S. Military said it had downed drones targeting civilian ships in regional waters and U.S. Forces in Kuwait, and had carried out strikes on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz after attempted attacks by Iran.

Iranian media said the Revolutionary Guards' navy targeted a vessel with missiles in response to what it said was a U.S. Attack on an Iranian tanker near Hormuz.

"Disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the ​U.S. Military," media cited the Guards as saying.

The ceasefire has not led to a breakthrough in a permanent end to the fighting.

Iranian media said Tehran has not communicated with Washington for several days, but U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations had not stopped, even claiming in a new podcast interview with the New York Post that aired Wednesday that Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is involved in negotiations.

Hours later, Trump suggested there could be progress in negotiations with ⁠Iran as soon as this weekend.

"If it happens, it could happen over the weekend," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, without elaborating on what he expected to ⁠happen within that timeframe.

Trump said that parties were working to separate the issue of reopening the strait from the conflict in Lebanon.

U.S. Secretary of State questioned over Iran war

Since mid-March, Trump has repeatedly said he is close to a deal to end the fighting and allow negotiators to tackle thorny issues, including the future of Iran's nuclear program.

Trump has said his top priority is to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies it is developing a nuclear bomb and says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes.

Tehran is seeking access to billions of dollars in oil revenues, waivers on crude exports, a lifting of a U.S. Blockade on its ports and continued leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, traversed by one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas traffic before the war.

Thousands, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, have died in the war since it began Feb. 28, while also causing global economic pain ⁠by pushing up energy prices, particularly in Europe, Asia and Africa.

It also triggered the latest round of conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, with Israel pursuing its deepest incursion into Lebanon in 25 years.

On Wednesday, Israeli drone strikes killed at least six people in southern Lebanon and targeted a car just south of Beirut, Lebanese security sources said. Israel said it intercepted a hostile aircraft likely fired by Hezbollah.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli military to Reuters questions about the drone strikes, but the attack on the car appeared to mark the closest attack to Beirut since Trump asked Israel not to hit the Lebanese capital, under a U.S.-mediated partial ceasefire announced on Monday.

Trump acknowledged Wednesday the reports earlier this week that he engaged in a harsh exchange with Israeli Prime Minister ​Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he was ⁠not ⁠happy ‌with Israel's fighting with Lebanon.

"I did," Trump said in ⁠the Post's Podcast One interview. "I wouldn't say angry. I was a little ​bit perturbed at his ⁠constantly fighting with ⁠Lebanon, you ⁠know."

Trump ⁠went ​on to say he ​and ⁠Netanyahu get along very well.

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