House rejects bid to curb Trump's war powers on Iran

The US House of Representatives has rejected an effort to curb President Donald Trump's ability to wage war in Iran, a day after a similar bid collapsed in the Senate.

The war powers resolution - rejected in a 219-212 vote along party lines - was largely ceremonial and was unlikely to survive an expected veto from the president.

Democrats have criticised Trump for launching strikes without congressional approval and questioned whether the US faced the kind of "imminent" threat that would legally allow him to take military action on his own.

The administration now says the war could last eight weeks - almost double the duration mentioned by Trump at the weekend.

If passed, the resolution would have stopped US military action in Iran without congressional approval.