US PRESIDENT Donald Trump received a sharp rebuke on Thursday evening with a resolution passed banning him from starting a war against Iran without the approval of Congress.

The motion passed by the House of Representatives is likely to be blocked by the Republican-controlled Senate, but it exposed deep divisions and opposition to his increasingly erratic foreign policy in the Middle East.

It comes about a week after the targeted assassination of Iranian Quds force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone attack at Baghdad airport in Iraq.

The Pentagon was “stunned” to receive the order to take out the Iranian general in an act that has further inflamed a volatile situation in the region and has been seen as a potential war crime.

The resolution, which was approved by 224 votes to 194, would “terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities against Iran.”

Speaking on the floor of the house, Democratic congressman for Massachusetts Joe Kennedy said: “It is a necessary response to a reckless president without a plan.”

Speaking at a press conference before the vote, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said: “We are passing today a war powers resolution to limit the president’s military action.

“The administration must de-escalate and must prevent further violence. America and the world cannot afford war.”

She said the assassination had in fact endangered US citizens’ lives, dismissing claims an attack on US interests was imminent.

Republicans Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky indicated they could back the bid to block Mr Trump’s warmongering in the Senate vote.

Mr Lee told reporters the intelligence report presented on Wednesday was “the worst briefing I’ve seen at least on a military issue in the nine years I’ve served.”

He described Trump administration officials as “insane.”