US strikes Iran for second day; Democrat accuses Trump of violating war powers resolution

The US military struck Iranian military targets for a second consecutive day, retaliating for Tehran's attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna condemned the strikes, calling them "a blatant violation" of a congressional resolution and threatening to take Trump to court.

Congress passed the resolution on Tuesday, stipulating that the president must either halt his military campaign against Iran or seek congressional approval before further action. The nonbinding resolution passed the Senate 50-48, with four Republicans voting in favor. On Friday, Trump berated Senate Republicans at a luncheon, and the Senate later rejected a nearly identical resolution.

A White House official dismissed the resolution, arguing that "there are no hostilities from which to remove US forces" since the ceasefire on April 7. However, on Friday, Trump ordered strikes, claiming Iran attacked a vessel in the Strait. Tehran insists vessels use only Iran-approved routes.

In response to US strikes, Iran hit US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday. Meanwhile, Israel continued strikes on Lebanon despite a framework deal signed on Friday and the June 15 memorandum of understanding.

Constitutional expert Bruce Fein said courts are unlikely to intervene, but Congress could end the war by cutting funding. Khanna threatened legal action to compel Trump to stop the war. Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, warned of escalation, saying the US is trying to find its way out of the MoU while obliging Iran to its terms.