Questions mount over US attack in Caribbean Sea that killed survivors on boat allegedly carrying drugs
Questions mount over US attack in Caribbean Sea that killed survivors on boat allegedly carrying drugs
A US navy admiral will provide a classified briefing to lawmakers overseeing the military on Thursday as they investigate a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea allegedly carrying drugs that included a second strike that killed any survivors.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday said the second strike was carried out “in self-defence” and in accordance with laws governing armed conflict.
Bipartisan scrutiny has mounted over a report that Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, issued a verbal order in September to strike the vessel.
Democrats have said the allegations, first reported last week by the , could amount to a war crime, and Republicans have also voiced their concerns about the legality of the attack on 2 September. The House and Senate armed services committees have opened investigations into the recent US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean.
In her comments to reporters on Monday, Leavitt did not dispute the report that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came after Donald Trump a day earlier said he “wouldn’t have wanted that – not a second strike” when asked about the incident.
“Secretary Hegseth authorised Adm [Frank M] Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” said Leavitt. “Adm Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.”
Late on Monday, Hegseth posted: “Adm Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support.
