Defense analyst Joe Buccina, a retired colonel, refuted a Fox News talking point that blamed the death of three U.S. soldiers on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's recent medical procedure.

Fox News host Mike Emanuel suggested Austin's health was a "complication" during a breaking news report on three service members reportedly killed by an Iran-backed militia in Jordan.

"And to be clear, Secretary Austin's not back to work yet," Emanuel noted. "I think he's coming back as soon as tomorrow."

"But that's a complicating factor in all this, too, I would imagine," he added.

"I don't think so," Buccina said. "I think he's got a full suite of comms. I think his aides know where he is. There's a secession plan. The deputy sec dep is making these decisions."

"Plus, it's not as though he's unreachable, or it's not as though there's a small Pentagon that travels with him everywhere he goes that enables him to render these decisions, communicate with his staff, communicate with US Central Command," he continued.

"So I do not believe that's a complicating factor."

Austin has been the target of conservatives after a failure to disclose his hospital stay for prostate cancer complications. He is expected to return to work on Monday.

Austin has been the target of conservatives after a failure to disclose his hospital stay for prostate cancer complications. He is expected to return to work on Monday.