• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirms no plans to release unedited video of fatal strikes.
• Strikes have faced criticism for legality and humanitarian concerns.
• Lawmakers' skepticism increases amid conflicting accounts of strike effectiveness.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that there are no plans to release the unedited video of the September 2 strikes on a suspected drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, which resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, including two survivors. Hegseth justified the decision by citing "longstanding Department of War policy" prohibiting the public release of top-secret military footage, despite pressure from lawmakers for increased transparency surrounding these military actions, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

During closed-door briefings held for both the House and Senate, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio aimed to address lawmakers' concerns over the military campaign that had resulted in over 20 strikes against drug boats off Venezuela's coast. Republicans have generally praised the administration's efforts to combat drug trafficking, while Democrats expressed frustration, labeling the briefings as insufficient and lacking in detail, reflecting mixed sentiments on the effectiveness and ethical implications of such military operations, according to Los Angeles Times and ABC News.

The controversy intensified when it was revealed that the commander overseeing the strikes ordered a second attack on survivors to eliminate any remaining threats. Amid rising concern about whether these actions might constitute wartime breaches, lawmakers have questioned both the moral justifications and the legal framework supporting the operations targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's regime, according to Reuters and ABC News.

Hegseth indicated that although Congress would have access to the footage during classified briefings, the broader public and even some congressional members would not be privy to this material due to its classification status. Senator Lindsey Graham and others have insisted that it should be shared with all parts of Congress, calling for transparency in evaluating the legality of the military's operations, as reported by Channel News Asia and Los Angeles Times.

The Pentagon's inability to provide clarity on its military objectives regarding Venezuela has raised alarms among lawmakers concerned about the potential for military overreach. Importantly, the use of military force against unarmed civilians, particularly in the wake of the September 2 incident, has sparked debates around U.S. military engagement and rules of engagement, highlighting significant legal ambiguities in the ongoing operation, according to ABC News and Los Angeles Times.