A group of progressive House lawmakers is questioning the U.S. military’s involvement in the growing conflict in the Middle Eastarguing that the deployment of U.S. troops to Israel and other support violated constitutional law.

Five House Democrats call President Joe Biden to detail and justify the U.S. military’s role in assisting Israel in its ground invasions of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as the country’s exchange of hostilities with Iran and Iranian-backed militants.

Lawmakers say comprehensive intelligence sharing and operational coordination between the U.S. military and Israel, as well as last month’s decision to send 100 U.S. troops to Israel to operate a missile defense system, overstepped the bounds of presidential authority.

“American military involvement in these wars was not authorized by the United States Congressas required by the Constitution and U.S. law,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Biden. “Congress has the exclusive authority to declare war.”

The letter was led by Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) and Cori Bush (D-Missouri), and was also signed by Reps. Andre Carson (D-Indiana), Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania), and Ilhan Omar. (D-Minnesota).

Opposed to Israeli operations

The lawmakers made clear their opposition to Israeli military operations in the Middle East and said they sought to reassert Congress’ war powers amid growing volatility in the region.

An uneasy peace in the Middle East collapsed last year after Hamas and other terrorists from Gaza stormed into Israel, massacring civilians and taking hostages. The attack sparked Israel’s deadly war in Gaza and led to conflict with other Iran-backed militants, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

Iran and Israel have also been exchanging direct strikes for months.

“The American people have made it clear that they want an immediate ceasefire, an end to these wars, and the return of the hostages, without deepening American involvement in a potentially endless regional war,” the lawmakers wrote .

They expressed concern about the deployment of U.S. troops to the region as well as the involvement of special operations and intelligence personnel in locating targets of Israeli operations in Gaza.

Lawmakers also expressed concern over reports that U.S. military officials discussed U.S. military strikes against Iran.

“This current involvement, as well as any additional involvement or deployment, of armed forces in the Israeli government’s expanding regional war falls within the definition of “hostilities” in the War Powers Resolution and does not constitute a response to an attack imminent or actual action against the United States,” the lawmakers wrote. “As such, these actions are not authorized.”

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 states that only Congress can authorize the sending of U.S. military personnel into action abroad, either through a declaration of war, statutory authorization, or in the event that an attack on the United States would create a national emergency.

Congress can also order the withdrawal of all U.S. troops involved in unauthorized hostilities, according to the resolution.

“The executive branch cannot continue to ignore the law without Congressional intervention,” the lawmakers warn in their letter. “The American public deserves a say on the issue of war, so Congressional participation and debate is necessary.”

Democratic and Republican members of Congress have chafed at the lack of congressional input into recent conflicts.

In January, senators challenged the legality of U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who began launching drones and missiles at ships in the Red Sea at the start of the Gaza war.

“We have long advocated for deliberate Congressional processes and authorizations for decisions that put service members at risk overseas,” the senators said.

Congress has not approved any war authorization since the 2002 Iraq War and last asserted its war powers in 2019, when it passed a resolution calling on then-President Donald Trump to end US support for a Saudi-led military intervention against the country. Houthis.

An authorization approved by Congress in 2001 to allow the U.S. president to prosecute those responsible for the September 11 attacks has been widely used since then to justify military operations in at least 22 countries, according to the Watson Institute for International and Public. Business at Brown University.

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