Shocking footage released by the Pentagon of Russian jets intercepting an American drone over the Black Sea has stoked outrage among senators of both parties. However, they have expressed extreme caution while engaging with the incident, seeking to avoid escalation of conflict between the U.S. and Russia.

Senators are awaiting a briefing from the Department of Defense to gain further clarity on the confrontation between Russian jets and the MQ9 drone. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that they should “demonstrate, in coming days, that we continue to feel that we have every right to be there and will be there again.”

The aerial incident could be a violation of international law since the drone was reported to be within the border of international waters. Although the action of the Russian pilot was heavily condemned