Nearly all House Democrats voted for a Lebanon war powers resolution on Tuesday that aimed to block U.S. support for Israeli operations against Hezbollah, though the legislation failed to secure a  House majority, with nearly all Republicans and 22 Democrats voting against the measure.

It was the second time that Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has forced a vote on a Lebanon war powers resolution, though her first resolution faced opposition from key Democratic leaders who viewed it as poorly drafted and overbroad.

Tuesday’s resolution directed the removal of U.S. armed forces from “any hostilities in Lebanon,” but included exemptions for continued security cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces and the protection of U.S. diplomatic facilities in Lebanon. Tlaib’s original resolution, which failed in early June, directed the administration more broadly to “remove the United States Armed Forces from Lebanon.”

Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jared Golden (D-ME), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Adam Gray (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Greg Landsman (D-OH), George Latimer (D-NY), Susie Lee (D-NV), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) were the only Democrats to oppose the resolution.

Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) were the only Republicans to support it.

In comments on the House floor on Monday evening, Tlaib appeared to criticize Lebanese diplomatic negotiations with Israel, which have been aimed at a shared goal of disarming and defanging Hezbollah.

“To the Lebanese government: Learn the lessons of the countries before you and the lessons of Lebanon’s own history. The Israeli government does not abide by any agreements. They have violated every single ceasefire in all the so-called peace agreements,” Tlaib said. 

“Wake up, the so-called agreement is not protecting Lebanese people. This is about apartheid government and structure expanding into your country,” she continued. “Do not abandon your land and your people and become another subcontractor for the Israeli occupation.”

She asserted that the Lebanese government is letting “outsiders divide your people” and foment “greater instability and another civil war.” She continued to dismiss the role of Hezbollah in the conflict — including its own repeated violations of ceasefire agreements — and claimed that the Lebanese people broadly, rather than Hezbollah, are Israel’s target.

Tlaib argued that the U.S. “is currently engaged in illegal and unauthorized hostilities in Lebanon” by providing intelligence to and coordinating with Israel, further claiming that the U.S. is exercising command and control over Israeli operational decisions. She suggested that the U.S. provision of spare parts and maintenance for Israel’s Air Force also constitutes hostilities in Lebanon.

Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the updated resolution “corrected the flaws” of the previous one and “will not infringe upon America’s national security interests in Lebanon, while ensuring we stay out of another forever war that is not in our interest.”

But, unlike Tlaib, Meeks emphasized that he’s not aware of any U.S. forces engaged in hostilities in Lebanon. He said the resolution would prevent any forces from being deployed in such a capacity without congressional support.

Meeks expressed support for efforts by Israel and Lebanon to ensure their citizens’ safety and security but said “this does not justify disproportionate airstrikes which have killed too many civilians, including medical workers and journalists, as well as destroyed civilian infrastructure throughout Lebanon.”

He also praised the recent framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, signed under the auspices of the U.S.

Schneider, one of the few Democrats who opposed the resolution, said that the resolution “has surprised many of my colleagues, who have noted that the U.S. is not engaged in hostilities in Lebanon,” and called it “unprecedented and deeply irresponsible.”

He said that Tlaib is “advancing a novel, controversial and counterproductive theory” that intelligence sharing and targeting assistance constitute U.S. involvement in hostilities in Lebanon, which would implicate the U.S. in hostilities in many places around the world, including in Russia. He said that passing such a war powers resolution “undermines the purpose” of the War Powers Act and “weakens Congress’ ability to check the Trump Administration.”

Schneider also warned that passing the resolution would embolden Hezbollah and Iran and undermine the recent Israel-Lebanon framework deal, potentially encouraging the two to launch a full-scale war against the Lebanese government.