Middle East conflict: Hegseth impeachment over Iran blocked as Trump backs Defence Secretary
Brent briefly breaks below $90 for first time since August as US-Iran standoff eases
The US House has blocked a Republican-backed bid to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, rejecting a resolution over his conduct in office and his handling of the war in Iran. Republicans largely stood by Hegseth after President Donald Trump signalled strong support, defeating the effort led by Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie and backed by Democrats. The vote may only delay the push, with Democrats set to take control of the House and Senate in January. Elsewhere, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly moved onto a military base after threats from Iran, Russia and Iran have held talks in Moscow, and Brent crude has fallen below $90 for the first time since August as traders bet the US-Iran standoff is easing. Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it has received a report of an incident involving a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
The status of the crew, the extent of any damage and the environmental impact are unknown, UKMTO said in a post on X.
It advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate.
The forces of Yemen's internationally recognised government said Thursday that the Houthis had fired ballistic missiles at the central city of Marib, which sits in a strategic oil-rich region.
"Houthi terrorist militias fired several ballistic missiles at the densely populated city of Marib," the government forces said on X.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has unveiled what it describes as a "new" underground “missile city,” displaying ballistic and cruise missiles alongside their launch systems.
The IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency published images of the facility on Tuesday, Nov. 10, during the force’s Aerospace Week.
Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi and IRGC Aerospace Force commander Brig. Gen. Majid Mousavi attended the unveiling.
Tasnim said the site houses “various ballistic and cruise missiles,” as well as launchers, but did not identify its location, disclose the number or types of weapons, or provide independent evidence of the facility’s scale or operational status.
The announcement followed a pledge by IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi that the Aerospace Force would reveal a new underground missile city and other military achievements during the week.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has unveiled what it describes as a "new" underground “missile city,” displaying ballistic and cruise missiles alongside their launch systems.
The IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency published images of the facility on Tuesday, Nov. 10, during the force’s Aerospace Week.
Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi and IRGC Aerospace Force commander Brig. Gen. Majid Mousavi attended the unveiling.
Tasnim said the site houses “various ballistic and cruise missiles,” as well as launchers, but did not identify its location, disclose the number or types of weapons, or provide independent evidence of the facility’s scale or operational status.
Trump has hit out at Democrats on Truth Social after the House blocked the impeachment of Pete Hegseth, calling the outcome an “exoneration” of the Defence Secretary. He said all Republicans except Thomas Massie backed Hegseth, and accused Democrats of weaponising the system.
The Republican-led US House of Representatives on Tuesday, Nov. 10, effectively killed an effort to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over US military operations in Iran, Yemen, Venezuela and the Caribbean, US media reported.
By a 211–204 vote, the House referred Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee rather than allowing an immediate floor vote on impeachment. The procedural move ends the effort for the remainder of the 119th Congress.
Massie, a Kentucky Republican and prominent critic of Hegseth and President Donald Trump, was the only Republican to vote against sending the measure to committee. He was joined by House Democrats.
The articles accused Hegseth of abusing his office, including by launching the Iran war without congressional approval, ignoring civilian-casualty safeguards, directing boat strikes in the Caribbean, and overseeing the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The vote was largely along party lines. Republican critics of Hegseth said his conduct did not rise to the constitutional standard of “high crimes and misdemeanours.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected Iran’s demand for war reparations, saying Tehran should instead pay compensation because it had “destabilised the region.” He made the remarks after a meeting of Group of Seven foreign ministers in Paris on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
“Iran is demanding reparations. They should be the ones paying reparations because they’re the ones that have destabilised the region for long periods of time,” Rubio told reporters.
“They’re demanding pallets of cash, which the president has made clear is not going to happen.”
Crude prices edged lower again early Wednesday (Nov. 11) after Brent briefly broke below $90 for the first time since August, as traders bet that the US-Iran standoff is easing.
The prices (as of 7:36 am Tokyo time, Nov. 11)
Brent: $91.98 a barrel, down 59 cents, or 0.64% (22-minute delay)
WTI: $86.04, down 81 cents, or 0.93% (36-minute delay)
Murban (Platts): $92.07, down $7.10, or 7.16%, but dated Nov. 10, so it reflects Tuesday’s assessment
Dubai: $93.59, down 3.72%. Brent weighted average: $94.15, down 4.05%. Both carry a one-day delay.
Natural gas: $3.296, up 2.42%. Gasoline: $2.625, down 0.97%. Heating oil: $4.131, down 1.99%.
Day 253: UAE rescues 22 crew in Gulf of Oman
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