US House votes to rein in Trump on Iran war

The House vote will have to go to the Senate for approval. (Reuters: Elizabeth Frantz)

The US House of Representatives has delivered President Donald Trump a rare rebuke, voting to halt military action in his war with Iran.

It comes as Mr Trump suggests there could be progress in peace negotiations with Iran as soon as this weekend.

The US House of Representatives voted in favour of a Democrat-led war powers resolution aimed at stopping ongoing military action in Iran until hostilities were authorised by Congress.

It would not force him to end the conflict entirely but could provide the first legal step to prevent further military action.

The House voted 215 to 208, with four Republicans crossing the floor to vote with Democrats.

This is the first time a war powers resolution to curb Mr Trump's military action in the Middle East has passed in the chamber, with three other motions previously failing.

Mike Johnson has tried to prevent such votes. (AP: J Scott Applewhite)

The resolution still needs to be voted on in the Senate, and there's currently no indication of when that might happen.

Then the bill would go to Mr Trump's desk for his signature. Like any other bill, he can veto a war powers resolution if he chooses.

A two-thirds vote would be needed in both the House and the Senate to overturn a presidential veto.

And while the vote in the House on Wednesday evening, local time, was successful, it showed the numbers weren't quite there for a super-majority.

The Senate advanced a similar war powers resolution of its own last month, and a handful of GOP politicians broke ranks then, too, but the chamber has yet to take a final vote to approve or reject the measure.