Overview
- A U.S. defense official said the Navy jets conducted a routine training mission and remained in international airspace.
- Public trackers showed the fighters over the gulf for more than 30 minutes, and Flightradar24 reported they were the most followed flights on its platform at the time.
- The flight marks a closer approach than prior B-52 and B-1 runs that stayed farther offshore.
- The overflight comes during a regional buildup and a maritime strike campaign reported to include 22 attacks with at least 87 fatalities since early September.
- Lawmakers are seeking unedited strike video as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth weighs release; Caracas disputes gulf boundaries and Maduro alleges the operations aim to remove him.