🔗 Share this article US Admiral to Inform Congress as Bipartisan Examination Intensifies Over Vessel Attack A high-ranking US Navy admiral is scheduled to deliver a classified briefing to lawmakers overseeing the armed forces this week, as they probe a US strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft transporting narcotics, reportedly included a second strike that eliminated any survivors. Administration Defends Actions as Defensive Measures The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was carried out “as a defensive action” and in compliance with laws pertaining to armed conflict. Bipartisan scrutiny has mounted over a account that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in September to attack the boat. Democratic lawmakers have said the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could constitute a violation of international law, and Republicans have also voiced their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the attack on 2 September. The Congressional armed services committees have initiated investigations into the recent series of US armed engagements on boats in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed the naval commander to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley worked well within his mandate and the legal framework, directing the operation to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were individuals who survived after the first attack. Her explanation came following ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “would not have approved that – not a follow-up attack” when asked about the incident. Growing Congressional Unease and Internal Backing Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.” A month after the strike, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to commander of USSOCOM. Concern over the administration’s military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats has been building in Congress, but particulars of this follow-on strike stunned many legislators from across the aisle and generated stark inquiries about the lawfulness of the operations and the broader policy in the region, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were doubtful. Still, they stated the reported attacking of individuals of an first missile strike posed grave issues and deserved additional investigation. Administration and Pentagon Officials Reiterate Position The administration weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously supported Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not order the death of those individuals,” Trump stated. He continued, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with members of Congress who may have voiced some worries about the reports over the past few days. Gen Dan Caine, the chair of the military's top officers, also communicated over the weekend with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Congressional armed services committees. He restated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a release. The statement added that the call centered on “addressing the intent and legality of operations to disrupt illegal smuggling rings which endanger the safety and security of the western hemisphere”. Legislative Leaders React and Promise Probe The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on the week's start broadly supported the missions, echoing the administration position that they were necessary to stop the flow of illicit drugs into the US. Thune stated the committees in Congress would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or inferences until you have all the facts,” he remarked of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that “misleading reporting is producing more false, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to undermine our incredible service members working to defend the homeland”. “Our current operations in the region are legal under both American and global statutes, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth make public the video of the attack and appear under oath about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate armed services committee, vowed that his committee's investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the implications of the allegation were “serious charges”. The 2 September engagement was one in a series carried out by the American armed forces in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has directed the buildup of a naval group of naval vessels near Venezuela, including the largest US aircraft carrier. More than 80 people were killed in the series of attacks.
A high-ranking US Navy admiral is scheduled to deliver a classified briefing to lawmakers overseeing the armed forces this week, as they probe a US strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft transporting narcotics, reportedly included a second strike that eliminated any survivors. Administration Defends Actions as Defensive Measures The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was carried out “as a defensive action” and in compliance with laws pertaining to armed conflict. Bipartisan scrutiny has mounted over a account that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in September to attack the boat. Democratic lawmakers have said the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could constitute a violation of international law, and Republicans have also voiced their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the attack on 2 September. The Congressional armed services committees have initiated investigations into the recent series of US armed engagements on boats in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed the naval commander to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley worked well within his mandate and the legal framework, directing the operation to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were individuals who survived after the first attack. Her explanation came following ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “would not have approved that – not a follow-up attack” when asked about the incident. Growing Congressional Unease and Internal Backing Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.” A month after the strike, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to commander of USSOCOM. Concern over the administration’s military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats has been building in Congress, but particulars of this follow-on strike stunned many legislators from across the aisle and generated stark inquiries about the lawfulness of the operations and the broader policy in the region, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were doubtful. Still, they stated the reported attacking of individuals of an first missile strike posed grave issues and deserved additional investigation. Administration and Pentagon Officials Reiterate Position The administration weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously supported Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not order the death of those individuals,” Trump stated. He continued, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with members of Congress who may have voiced some worries about the reports over the past few days. Gen Dan Caine, the chair of the military's top officers, also communicated over the weekend with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Congressional armed services committees. He restated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a release. The statement added that the call centered on “addressing the intent and legality of operations to disrupt illegal smuggling rings which endanger the safety and security of the western hemisphere”. Legislative Leaders React and Promise Probe The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on the week's start broadly supported the missions, echoing the administration position that they were necessary to stop the flow of illicit drugs into the US. Thune stated the committees in Congress would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or inferences until you have all the facts,” he remarked of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that “misleading reporting is producing more false, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to undermine our incredible service members working to defend the homeland”. “Our current operations in the region are legal under both American and global statutes, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth make public the video of the attack and appear under oath about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate armed services committee, vowed that his committee's investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the implications of the allegation were “serious charges”. The 2 September engagement was one in a series carried out by the American armed forces in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has directed the buildup of a naval group of naval vessels near Venezuela, including the largest US aircraft carrier. More than 80 people were killed in the series of attacks.