House Republicans block bid to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Iran war as Trump declares victory.By World Israel News StaffRepublicans in the US House of Representatives blocked an attempt to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, voting 211-204 to derail an effort by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky to remove the Pentagon chief over his handling of the war against Iran and other military operations.The House voted to refer Massie’s eight articles of impeachment to the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee, effectively preventing them from reaching a full House vote before the current Congress ends in January.The procedural motion received support from 210 Republicans and one independent, while all 203 Democrats who participated in the vote opposed it. Massie was the only Republican to vote against referring the resolution to committee.President Donald Trump celebrated the result, declaring in a Truth Social post that the effort to remove Hegseth had “miserably FAILED!”Trump praised the defense secretary’s performance and attacked Massie, who has repeatedly criticized the administration’s military campaign against Iran.The president said US military victories in Iran and Venezuela, along with improvements in military recruitment, had led to the “EXONERATION of a Great American Patriot.”Massie introduced the eight articles of impeachment Monday, accusing Hegseth of violating federal law and the Constitution during military operations in Iran, Yemen, Venezuela, the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific.Three of the articles focused on the war against Iran, which began in February.Massie argued that the Trump administration launched the campaign without obtaining congressional authorization and subsequently disregarded legislation directing the withdrawal of American forces from the conflict.“By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said in a statement announcing the impeachment effort.The Kentucky congressman also accused Hegseth of continuing military operations beyond the deadlines established under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which generally requires presidents to end unauthorized military engagements within 60 days, with a possible additional 30-day withdrawal period.Another impeachment article accused Hegseth of weakening Pentagon procedures intended to minimize civilian casualties during military operations, including those conducted against Iran.The remaining articles concerned American strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in waters near South America, the January operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, military operations in Yemen and alleged retaliation against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.Massie accused the defense secretary of targeting Kelly for participating in a video reminding American service members that they are obligated to refuse unlawful military orders.Hegseth strongly rejected the allegations during a Pentagon press conference Tuesday morning, describing the impeachment effort as politically motivated retaliation by a departing Republican lawmaker.“It’s a farce and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it,” Hegseth said.The defense secretary argued that presidents from both political parties had conducted military operations without specific congressional authorization and that no previous defense secretary had been impeached for carrying out such missions.He maintained that the operations under scrutiny were lawful and had been conducted under Trump’s authority as commander-in-chief.Hegseth also accused Massie of attempting to undermine American service members and the administration’s military achievements.“This is not patriotism. This is sabotage,” he declared.The White House separately issued a statement opposing the impeachment resolution, arguing that it would consume congressional time and undermine the administration’s national security agenda.Vice President JD Vance also defended Hegseth, dismissing the impeachment effort as unjustified.“Has Pete Hegseth committed impeachable crimes? The question is absurd and the answer is: obviously not,” Vance wrote on X.Massie, who lost his Republican primary earlier this year to Trump-backed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, has remained one of the administration’s most vocal Republican critics over the Iran war.Before the vote, Massie argued that his resolution offered Republicans an opportunity to address Hegseth’s conduct before Democrats take control of Congress in January.“My effort to impeach Secretary Hegseth is a much gentler version of what’s coming when the Democrats assume control of the House and Senate next year,” Massie warned.The Kentucky lawmaker urged Trump to replace Hegseth while Republicans still controlled the Senate confirmation process.The post House Republicans narrowly block Hegseth impeachment appeared first on World Israel News.