BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:00 A.M.) – U.S. Senator (R) John McCain illegally crossed into Syria last week while visiting U.S troops advising Kurdish forces in the northern part of the country.

On Wednesday, Julie Tarallo, a spokeswoman for McCain, confirmed that he’d made the trip, calling it a “valuable opportunity to assess dynamic conditions on the ground in Syria and Iraq.”“valuable opportunity to assess dynamic conditions on the ground in Syria and Iraq.”

McCain has illegally crossed into Syria before, visiting Islamist rebels in northern Syria during the third year of this conflict.

Known as a war hawk in congress, McCain has repeatedly called for the U.S. to directly intervene in Syria on behalf of the Islamist rebels fighting the Syrian Government.