The US defence secretary has declared that hostilities with Iran have ceased, potentially resetting the clock on the War Powers Act deadline. However, lawmakers argue that US forces remain actively deployed despite the halt in air raids, casting doubt on whether the legal trigger has truly been reset.
'Hostilities have ceased,' the defence secretary stated, but congressional critics counter that the continued presence of troops in the region means the conflict is not over.
The War Powers Act requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to hostilities and limits engagement to 60 days without congressional authorization. If the ceasefire is genuine, the 60-day clock may have stopped, but if US forces remain in harm's way, the deadline could still be ticking.