Some military veterans serving in Congress said they support a resolution to require approval from lawmakers for further military action against Iran. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON — A group of 12 military veterans serving in the House told President Donald Trump on Monday that they will support a resolution to require approval from lawmakers for further military action against Iran in a bid to claw back Congress’ power to declare war.

The veterans, all Democrats, did not indicate which war powers resolution they will back as lawmakers across Capitol Hill race to make their voices heard in the aftermath of the U.S. military’s strikes this weekend against Iran’s major nuclear facilities.

Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced a resolution last week that would require congressional authorization for U.S. troops to engage in offensive attacks against Iran. Top Democrats on House national security committees are expected to introduce a similar resolution soon.

There is also a war powers resolution in the Senate, led by Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia, that is likely to come up for a vote later this week.

“I will push for all senators to vote on whether they are for this third idiotic Middle East war,” Kaine wrote Saturday on X.

The Constitution gives Congress the authority to declare war, but presidents of both parties have regularly sidestepped lawmakers to attack other countries. Two authorizations passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have been used to carry out a wide range of military actions in the Middle East.

Efforts by lawmakers in recent years to rein in the scope of those measures have stalled.

Several lawmakers have condemned the U.S. bombing of Iran — the first since 1979 — as unconstitutional and illegal. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Saturday that Trump’s decision to bypass Congress in joining Israel’s fight against Iran was “absolutely and clearly” grounds for impeachment.

The 12 veterans who wrote to Trump on Monday said they worried politicians were barreling into another war in the Middle East without having a “full and honest” conversation with the American people about what military action against Iran would mean.

“Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians — from both parties — failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote. “They failed us, our fellow veterans, and the American people. Now, trillions of dollars and countless deaths later, we still haven’t gotten accountability.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Pat Ryan of New York, Gil Cisneros of California, Eugene Vindman of Virginia, Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, Bobby Scott of Virginia, Jimmy Panetta of California, Derek Tran of California, Herb Conaway of New Jersey, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Salud Carbajal of California and Ted Lieu of California.

They said they wanted answers on the specific aims of military action against Iran, what means would be required to achieve them and the estimated potential cost to U.S. service members, including lives lost.

“Are the American people truly ready to incur these costs?” the lawmakers wrote. “And we cannot repeat our approach from 2001 and 2002. The answer cannot be ‘we’ll figure it out as we go.’ ”

Iran on Monday fired missiles on a U.S. base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, in retaliation for the U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites. Qatar said its air defenses intercepted the missiles.

The 40,000 American troops stationed throughout Middle East remain on high alert for additional attacks.