Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's latest "quiet death" strike may amount to a war crime, according to one analysis.
This week, it was revealed that the U.S. torpedoed an Iranian warship called the "IRIS Dena" off the coast of Sri Lanka while it was returning home from planned military exercises with India. The torpedo killed more than 80 Iranian soldiers. It was the first time in 80 years that the U.S. had sunk an enemy warship in international waters, according to reports, and sparked outrage from Iranian officials like foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, who described it as an "atrocity."
In the wake of the operation, Hegseth described it as "quiet death" during his public remarks on Wednesday, Time Magazine reported.
Mary Trump, a psychologist and author, argued in a new Substack essay that Hegseth's comments revealed the "reckless and deeply troubling mentality guiding the Trump regime’s military decisions."
"Legal experts have noted that sinking a ship in international waters, particularly one reportedly unarmed and returning from a training exercise, could constitute a war crime under international law," she wrote.
"Oil prices are climbing, and the geopolitical stakes are soaring," she continued. "Russia, which does not rely on the Strait of Hormuz, stands to profit from chaos it had no hand in creating. I know it is hard to believe, but once again, Donald did something that benefits Putin. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces another blow: rising energy costs and distracted global attention weaken the support it depends on."
Trump said the attack amounted to "wasted lives and no accountability."