US Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed only a few high-ranking representatives of Congress before the start of military operations against Iran. Operative Information Center-OMM reports that CBS News released this information, citing its own sources.
According to the report, Rubio spoke with and warned at least several members of the congressional "Gang of Eight" before the strikes were carried out. It is reported that Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was among the lawmakers informed. However, it remains unclear whether the Secretary of State was able to contact all eight members of the group.
Earlier, Democratic Senator Jack Reed stated that the US Congress had not given consent for a large-scale military operation against Iran. He also noted that the administration of US President Donald Trump had not provided appropriate justifications regarding this operation.
The "Gang of Eight" is a colloquial term for a set of eight leaders within the United States Congress who are briefed on classified intelligence matters by the executive branch. This group includes the leaders of both parties from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. Under US law, the president is required to ensure that these specific lawmakers are kept fully informed of significant intelligence activities and sensitive operations to maintain legislative oversight during national security crises.
