SEAL Rescuers Just Missed Western Hostages

Navy SEALs attempted one of the daring rescues they're famous for after the kidnapping of an American and an Australian in Kabul last month—but officials say they missed the men by what was probably just hours. Officials tell the New York Times that seven insurgents were killed in the raid on a Haqqani network compound in eastern Afghanistan, but after the firefight, they were unable to find American citizen Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, American University of Afghanistan professors who were seized from their vehicle Aug. 7. Officials won't disclose whether they have any idea where the two captives are now.

"Military hostage rescue operations are inherently sensitive and dangerous, and careful deliberation went into this mission," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook says, per the Washington Post. Sources tell Fox that the operation was the second attempt to rescue the professors. An earlier operation was called off because there were concerns about the intelligence, and the administration had not had a chance to review it. Obama signed off on the plan the next day, soon after advisers reviewed it and presented it to him, officials say. (Weeks after the professors were kidnapped, there was a deadly raid on the Kabul campus.)