President Obama on Thursday said that he takes responsibility for all U.S. counterterrorism attacks, including the operation in January that killed two hostages, an American and an Italian.
“I take full responsibility for all our counterterrorism operations,” Obama said in a press conference addressing the deaths of the two hostages. “I profoundly regret what happened.”
According to the White House, Warren Weinstein, an American, and Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian, were killed accidentally in a U.S. counterterrorism attack near the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“As a husband and a father, I cannot begin to imagine the anguish the Weinstein and Lo Porto families are enduring today,” Obama said. “I know there is nothing I can ever say or do to ease their heartache.”
In a statement on Thursday, the White House said that while the operation was lawful, the administration will conduct a review of the strike.
“We will continue to do everything we can to prevent the loss of innocent lives,” Obama said at the press conference.
This post has been updated.
