Southwest
Hegseth signs off on wounded US troops keeping bullets, shrapnel removed from their bodies after Maduro raid
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, revealed dramatic new details Wednesday about the covert Jan. 3 mission targeting Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, describing U.S. troops who continued fighting after being shot and later asking to keep the bullets and shrapnel pulled from their bodies.
In a new “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast episode, Cruz detailed a trip with fellow Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth to a San Antonio hospital to visit three of the seven soldiers wounded during Operation Absolute Resolve.
Cruz said American troops were “vastly outnumbered,” describing Cuban military members, tasked with guarding Maduro, opening fire on U.S. soldiers.
“It is an incredible testament to the precision and effectiveness of our military that not a single soldier on the American side was killed,” Cruz said. “There was a very large number of Cuban forces defending Maduro who were killed in that firefight.”
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War Secretary Pete Hegseth; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, visit Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Sen. John Cornyn via X)
The first soldier the politicians visited helped plan the “entire raid” and was leading one of the helicopters when he was shot in the leg, according to Cruz.
“Even in the midst of being shot in the leg, [he] continued,” Cruz said. “He did not step back from the fight, and he was critical, in terms of his location, protecting his fellow soldiers.”
During a discussion with the soldier, Cruz said Hegseth extended an offer for anything the soldier needed.
“[The soldier] said, ‘Well, actually, there is something you could do,’ and Pete says ‘what?’” Cruz said. “[The soldier] says, ‘I’d really like the bullet,’ the bullet that went into his leg.”
INSIDE THE LIGHTNING US STRIKE THAT OVERWHELMED VENEZUELA’S DEFENSES AND SEIZED MADURO
Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, after landing at a Manhattan helipad en route to a federal courthouse Jan. 5, in New York City. (XNY/Star Max/GC Images via Getty Images)
Cruz explained the hospital’s medical director previously told the soldier the hospital could not hand it over to him without a waiver.
“Pete, to his credit, said, ‘The waiver is granted, you can have the bullet,’” Cruz said. “That soldier was beaming. He was thrilled to have the bullet.”
The second soldier the group met with had also been shot and cut by a piece of shrapnel, causing a gash running the entire length of his arm.
“He had the exact same request,” Cruz said. “He said, ‘I’d really like the shrapnel.’ They had the piece of metal that had cut his arm open, and again, the hospital said, ‘We have it, but we’re not allowed to give it to him without the waiver.’”
Hegseth also signed off on the second soldier’s request, according to Cruz.
US RAID IN VENEZUELA SIGNALS DETERRENCE TO ADVERSARIES ON THREE FRONTS, EXPERTS SAY
Venezuelan citizens celebrate during a rally on the Colombia-Venezuela border after the confirmation of Nicolás Maduro’s capture Jan. 3 in Caracas. (Jair F. Coll/Getty Images)
“Both of those, I assume that they’re going to frame it or otherwise keep it as just a memento to the injury, the Purple Heart that they earned fighting for their country, but also being a part of profoundly impacting history,” Cruz said.
While the names and ages of the wounded soldiers, who are now all in good condition, have not yet been publicly released, Cruz said the first soldier was a bit older than the other two, who he described as “young guys.”
“If you saw them walking down the street, you wouldn’t do a double take,” he said. “The first guy kind of looked a little like Captain America, [and] the other two looked like they were fit … but the skill that you know they have, the heroism you know they have — if you just saw them on the street, you wouldn’t immediately know that.
Cruz spoke out about the covert Venezuela mission on a recent episode of his podcast. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“With all three of the soldiers, I took an opportunity to tell them, ‘Look, you were part of history. You were part of history in a way, without exaggeration, that changed the entire Western hemisphere. What you did was profoundly important … and I took the chance on behalf of Texans and Americans just to say, ’Thank you. Thank you for your bravery.’”
Cruz added the first soldier, who was shot in the leg, had some friendly banter with the Pentagon chief.
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“Hegseth asked him, ‘How are you feeling?’ And he said, ‘I’m ready to go again,’” Cruz said. “I said, ‘Great, can you do Saturday?’ And he said, ‘Well, can we hold off till Monday?’ So, that kind of gives you a sense of the spirit [the soldiers had].”
Cruz’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase.
In footage released on social media Wednesday by the Palm Springs Police Department, the teen can be seen doing wheelies and donuts while stopped at a traffic light. He is also seen performing similar stunts in an intersection.
“Instead of giving the suspect the pursuit he seemed to be looking for, officers used drone technology and coordinated tactics to safely monitor his movements into Cathedral City,” police said in an Instagram post.
Video shows the rider traveling through grass at a nearby park before getting off the e-bike in the shade of a pavilion.
Police quickly moved into the park and took the teen into custody. Video appears to show a physical struggle before he was eventually placed into a patrol vehicle.
“While seated in a PSPD patrol vehicle, the suspect apparently wasn’t thrilled with the accommodations and shattered a window, adding felony vandalism to his list of charges,” police said.
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Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase. (Palm Springs PD) -
Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase. (Palm Springs PD) -
Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase. (Palm Springs PD) -
Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase. (Palm Springs PD)
The teen, who has not been identified, was booked on suspicion of reckless driving, resisting arrest and felony vandalism.
E-bikes and e-motorcycles have been a growing concern for law enforcement across Southern California.
Data released in Riverside County shows e-bike crashes surged from 224 in 2023 to 494 in 2024, then nearly doubled again to 958 in 2025, according to county officials, who added that at least 416 incidents have already been reported this year.
Cities in Orange County have enacted new laws that include stricter penalties for violations.
On June 7, shoppers at an Orange County Walmart were left shaken after a group of teens was captured on video riding electric bikes through the store, narrowly missing customers and creating a dangerous scene.
Video obtained by KTLA shows several riders weaving through aisles at a Foothill Ranch store while customers scrambled to get out of the way.
In April, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced felony charges against the mother of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally striking an 81-year-old man while riding an e-bike in Lake Forest. Prosecutors allege the mother knew her son had repeatedly engaged in reckless riding behavior before the crash.
Southern California is bracing for several days of dangerous heat, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a heat advisory for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties while warning beachgoers of hazardous ocean conditions along the coast.
KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said Thursday’s heat is only the beginning of a prolonged stretch of above-average temperatures expected to last well into next week.
“We’re going to be warm through the weekend,” DiCarlo said. “There is a weekend cool down, but then we get hot again next week. So this hotter trend that we have is really not going anywhere anytime soon.”
According to the National Weather Service, the heat advisory remains in effect until 10 a.m. Tuesday for portions of southwest California, including the Los Angeles County inland coast, downtown Los Angeles and the northern Ventura County mountains.
Forecasters expect highs ranging from 85 to 90 degrees across coastal valleys and 90 to 105 degrees in interior valleys.
While Southern California routinely experiences hot weather in July, DiCarlo said this event stands out because of its duration and intensity.
“It’s one thing to be hot, which is average this time of year,” he said. “But when we go 95, 100, that’s well above the average.”
Health officials urge residents to limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, drink plenty of water and seek air-conditioned spaces whenever possible to reduce the risk of heat-related illness.
DiCarlo also reminded pet owners to take extra precautions.
“If it’s hot for you, it’s hot for them,” he said. “Don’t leave kids, don’t leave your pets in the car. Don’t take your pet for a walk in the middle of the day. They’re not wearing shoes, and those pads can get burned rather quickly.”
The hot, humid conditions could also make temperatures feel even warmer, especially in the high desert, where actual highs are forecast to reach around 105 degrees. A chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms next week may increase humidity, creating an even more uncomfortable feel.
Along the coast, beachgoers are also being urged to use caution as elevated surf and dangerous rip currents continue.
The National Weather Service has issued a Beach Hazards Statement through Saturday evening for Los Angeles and Ventura county beaches, where strong rip currents and breaking waves could create life-threatening swimming conditions.
Officials recommend swimming near an occupied lifeguard tower, never turning your back on the ocean and avoiding jetties and rock structures, where waves can unexpectedly sweep people into the water.
With the prolonged heat expected to continue, forecasters say residents should continue monitoring the forecast and prepare for additional advisories as temperatures remain well above seasonal averages through next week.
Loved ones are searching for a 34-year-old Southern California woman who has been missing for over a week.
Amy Lynn Edmonds, 34, was reported missing on June 28, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Edmonds, who is considered at-risk, was last seen walking away from Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk.
She is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue jacket and was carrying a black backpack.
It’s unclear where she may have been heading when she disappeared.
Authorities said Edmonds has mental health and medical issues that require medication. Neither hospital staff nor loved ones have heard from her since and they are concerned for her well-being.
Anyone who may know Edmond’s whereabouts or has information on the case can call LASD’s Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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