U.S. Congress joins Senate in blocking resolution to stop Trump's attack on Iran

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Sirens could be heard across the region late Thursday as Iran fired a new barrage of missiles and Israel seemingly geared up for a large attack in Beirut. Here's the latest on the ongoing and escalating war:

Congress has joined the U.S. Senate in blocking a resolution that aimed to halt President Donald Trump's attack on Iran. 

The tally was 219-212 against the resolution, with voting mostly falling along party lines. Republicans hold a slim majority in the House. 

If signed into law, the resolution would have immediately halted Trump's ability to carry on U.S. Military action in Iran unless approved by Congress — though the president would have likely vetoed it. 

Trump said Iran has no air force, no air defence and no communications left, "but they're tough and they want to fight." He claimed Iran had contacted his administration to "make a deal," without providing any detail, but said it was "too late."

"We want to fight now more than they do," he said.

Trump is speaking to reporters now about the Iran conflict at the White House, where he's meeting with the Major League Soccer champions Inter Miami.

As he has often done in recent days, he touted the United States' military capabilities. He said the administration continues to "totally demolish" Iran "ahead of schedule."

U.S. Lawmakers are preparing to vote on a resolution this afternoon aimed at halting Trump's mission in Iran. 

The resolution is one of several Congress is voting on this afternoon.

It's the second government vote in as many days on a measure attempting to rein in the U.S. President's war powers, after the Republican-led Senate defeated a similar resolution yesterday.

Retired major-general Denis Thompson, a former senior commander with deep experience in the region, said given the sensitivity of where the Canadian military members were serving it was "highly likely" they were aware of the planning and co-ordination of Operation Epic Fury, given the scope of the U.S. Forces assembled there.

But in its latest statement, the DND suggests — but does not come out and state directly — that the Canadians were kept in the dark.

"It is not unusual for host nations to conduct the planning and execution of their operations without the involvement of exchange officers, at the discretion of the host nation," the department said. 

The DND was asked a specific series of questions on Wednesday about the timing of when Canadian military members were told to perform "other duties." It was also asked if there was any warning ahead of time through military-to-military channels.

It has not responded to those questions. Nor has it clarified the status of "aerospace controllers," who are part of an exchange package with the U.S., and whose day-to-day job is working with the U.S. Military to co-ordinate air traffic in the Middle East.

According to the DND's website, the duties of the exchange officers involve being a liaison between the Canadian and American militaries. 

The Department of National Defence (DND) is providing more clarity around the actions of Canadians currently serving with the U.S. Military in the Middle East as the conflict continues. 

There are as many as 18 members of the Canadian Armed Forces currently attached to Operation Foundation, a counter-terrorism mission that has them working with the U.S. Military in Bahrain and Qatar, the DND website shows.

In a statement today, a DND spokesperson reiterated that CAF members serving in the Middle East are continuing to perform their regular duties "unrelated to the U.S. Operations in the region." 

"It is important to note that CAF members cannot be involved in operations with foreign militaries without the approval of the Government of Canada," the statement adds. 

The statement says all CAF personnel in the region are currently safe and accounted for. 

Here's a map that shows airstrikes across the Middle East since Israel and the U.S. First attacked Iran on Saturday.

Israeli Defence Forces are concentrating their strikes on Tehran, but the map shows targets across the country. Iran, which has launched more drone attacks and fewer ballistic missiles, has targeted Israel and several Gulf states.

In a sign of how the war is expanding, an attack on an airport in Azerbaijan earlier today injured four people. Azerbaijan has blamed Iran, which denies responsibility.

The map also shows a cluster of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, as the IDF pushes into the south of the country. Iran-backed Hezbollah militants based in Lebanon launched missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in over a year starting Monday.

Now on her seventh re-booking, she said if her early flight tomorrow from Dubai to Toronto is cancelled, she and her husband will travel overland to Oman, where they are booked on a flight to Europe. 

Murphy-Kaulbeck said she received an alert from the U.A.E. Government today warning people to shelter in place. While she said she's concerned by the constant threat of incoming missiles and drones from Iran, she added she has little choice but to trust in the country's air defences. 

Conservative MP Michael Chong accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of flip-flopping over Canada's position on the Israeli-U.S. Attacks. 

In a post on X, Chong characterized Carney's position, in part, like this: "We support the U.S. Acting with airstrikes. But we also regret having to support the U.S. Acting with airstrikes."

While Carney did say he supported the initial strike to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, he said his "regrets" were over it needing to be done "because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order."

Chong also accused Carney of "not ruling out military participation with the U.S.," when Carney actually said he would not "categorically rule out participation" in some military action in the region to protect allies if the conflict spreads. 

Carney distinguished the hypothetical possibility he might need to act to meet NATO alliance commitments from the actions taken by the U.S. And Israel, which he said were done "without consultation with Canada."

As we touched on earlier, the U.S. Has asked Ukraine for "specific support" in dealing with Iranian-designed Shahed drones in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday. Russia has mass-produced a similar kind of drone — which are relatively cheap to make — for its invasion of Ukraine.

"I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security," Zelenskyy said on X. "Ukraine helps partners who help ensure our security and protect the lives of our people."

Trump told Reuters on Thursday that he will take assistance from any country.

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