WASHINGTON/DOHA/MUSCAT — Republican Representative Thomas Massie on Tuesday introduced articles of impeachment against US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war against Iran and his conduct in office.

Speaking from the House floor, the Kentucky lawmaker accused Hegseth of "high crimes and misdemeanors," alleging that he had violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973, defied congressional directives to end US military involvement in the Iran conflict, ignored laws intended to minimize civilian casualties, and authorized or oversaw extrajudicial strikes against suspected drug traffickers.

Massie also accused Hegseth of abusing the powers of his office, alleging that he had retaliated against critics of the Trump administration for exercising their right to free speech.

The war against Iran, now in its seventh month, has become increasingly unpopular with the US public, ratcheting up pressure on Republican lawmakers. However, it remains unclear how many other Republicans would join Massie and Democrats in supporting the impeachment proposal.

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The move came the same day The Hill reported that the Pentagon informed Congress last month that the cost of the Iran war had climbed above $42 billion, up $4.5 billion from the Defense Department's previous public estimate.

The House is expected to act on Massie's proposal by Thursday, leaving lawmakers little time to consider it. The chamber is scheduled to adjourn later this week for its traditional fall recess ahead of the November midterm elections.

Massie's move marked the second impeachment effort against Hegseth, following a six-article resolution introduced by House Democrats in April. 

Qatar warns against disruption of Bab al-Mandeb

Qatar warned on Tuesday that disruption of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, on top of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, could have "catastrophic" consequences, stressing that blocking international waterways must not become "the new normal."

"Blocking the waterway and international water corridors cannot be the new normal. And this cannot be acceptable either to Qatar or the international community," Director of the Media and Communication Department at Qatar's Foreign Ministry Ibrahim bin Sultan Al-Hashmi said during the ministry's weekly briefing.

"The world is suffering enough with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, so we cannot also afford to add the Bab al-Mandeb into that equation," Al-Hashmi said.

He said Qatar continues to push for diplomacy, dialogue and peaceful solutions to the regional conflicts, stressing that negotiations remain the only viable way forward.

Oman, US discuss efforts to de-escalate regional tensions

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the rapidly evolving regional situation and efforts to de-escalate tensions in a phone call on Tuesday, the Omani Foreign Ministry said.

The two exchanged views on efforts to contain the repercussions of regional tensions and create conditions for continued diplomatic efforts to address outstanding issues in a way that supports regional security and stability, according to a ministry statement.

They also discussed regional issues of mutual interest and stressed the importance of building on existing Oman-US cooperation and maintaining consultation and coordination through established channels, the statement added.

The call came amid heightened regional tensions and disruptions to maritime navigation.