Pete Hegseth on the September 2nd Strike Off Venezuela: 'I Fully Support That Strike'

Planning and Execution of the September 2nd Strike

• 🗓️ The September 2nd strike off the coast of Venezuela, the first in combat operations in the Caribbean, took nearly a month to develop due to the need for intelligence gathering and asset repositioning.
• 🛡️ As Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth took decision responsibility for the initial strikes due to their strategic implications, deferring tactical decisions to local commanders.
• 🧐 The pre-strike briefing was exhaustive, covering military, civilian, legal, and intelligence aspects, including the affiliation and intentions of the targets, designated as terrorist organizations by the President.

The Decision to Execute and Follow-on Actions

• ✅ Hegseth confirmed he was satisfied with the strike criteria and gave the order to execute the strike, which resulted in the target being on fire for an extended period.
• 🔄 A few hours later, a re-attack was necessary due to remaining combatants, access to radios, and a potential linkup with another boat, with drugs still present.
• 🎯 Hegseth stated, "I fully support that strike. I would have made the same call myself," noting that re-attacks are common in combat.

Addressing Misinformation and Survivor Protocol

• 📰 Hegseth dismissed claims that he ordered everyone on board to be killed as