U.S. Strikes On Yemen Draw Bipartisan Pushback In Congress

President Joe Biden’s decision to launch airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen in response to their attacks on international shipping drew bipartisan pushback in Congress, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle demanding he first seek approval amid fears of a broader war escalating in the Middle East.

“The Constitution requires that if there is not an imminent threat of self-defense, that he has to come to Congress,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told CNN on Thursday.

“This has been going on since December. He has assembled an entire international coalition. He certainly should have come to Congress so we can discuss whether this could put American troops at risk,” he added.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called the airstrikes “an unacceptable violation of the Constitution.”

“If there was time to put together an international coalition, there should have been time to come to us and ask for permission, especially given the volatile situation in the Middle East,” she told reporters on Friday.

“The United States has been involved in hostilities in Yemen, in one form or another, for over five years now. The sad reality is Congress frequently refuses to assert its authority,” added Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

The Houthis have launched scores of drones and missiles at commercial ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s military campaign on Gaza, which followed Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel last year. Many of the missiles have been intercepted and shot down by the U.S. Navy as part of an international coalition formed by the U.S. to protect navigation in the area.

Biden’s administration views the strike as a “defensive” way to pressure the Houthis to end the attacks against commercial vessels and