The Republican-majority US Senate backed legislation on Tuesday to halt US military action against Iran, but it was not immediately clear how it would affect the war as US President Donald Trump's administration negotiates a peace agreement with the Islamic Republic.
The Senate voted 50-48 in favor of the concurrent resolution, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, reflecting growing concern, even among some of Trump's Republicans, about the unpopular conflict that began on February 28.
The vote was nearly along party lines, with four Republicans joining all but one Democrat in favor. Two Republicans did not vote.
The resolution directs Trump to remove US armed forces from hostilities with or against Iran, but it is likely to remain merely a symbolic vote.
Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the measure does not get sent to the White House for Trump's signature. However, the White House has insisted that the legislation is unconstitutional and thus not binding.
Legal experts say it remains a contested legal question likely to be settled in the courts.
"The executive branch will likely ignore it on constitutional grounds, and it’s not clear who might have standing to sue to enforce it," said Scott Anderson, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and senior editor of the online legal publication Lawfare.
The resolution had also passed the House with slim Republican support. The tally there was 215-208, with four Republicans and every Democrat voting yes.
Pentagon seeks $80 b. for Iran war
The successful passing of the resolution came following reports that the Pentagon had sought an additional $80 billion to cover the costs of the Iran war.
While an official request by the White House Office of Management and Budget has yet to be made to Congress, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg have been lobbying senators for the funds.
The Associated Press reported that the $80 billion request comes on top of the White House's request to increase the Pentagon budget to $1.5 trillion, "a nearly 50% increase over the current fiscal year’s funding levels."
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.