Hegseth, Rubio Brief Congress on Caribbean Strike Deaths

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed members of Congress on Tuesday in closed-door sessions on Capitol Hill, addressing investigations into a U.S. military strike in the Caribbean on September 2 that killed two survivors of an initial attack on a boat suspected of carrying cocaine. The briefings, held separately with the Senate and House, come amid growing congressional scrutiny of a broader U.S. counter-drug campaign in international waters near Venezuela that has involved multiple boat strikes and a military buildup in the region.

Hegseth told reporters after the Senate briefing that the Pentagon would not release an unedited video of the September 2 operation to the public, citing its top-secret classification. He indicated that members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees could review the footage this week, though it remained unclear if all lawmakers would gain access. The incident involved an initial strike on the vessel, followed by a second attack on two individuals who had climbed onto the partially destroyed boat. According to accounts from private briefings, Navy Adm. Frank Mitch Bradley, who commanded the operation,...