🔗 Share this article American Navy Commander to Brief Congress as Bipartisan Examination Intensifies Over Vessel Attack A high-ranking American naval admiral is scheduled to provide a classified update to lawmakers monitoring the military this week, as they examine a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. The incident, which allegedly struck a craft carrying drugs, allegedly included a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Defends Strikes as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the follow-on engagement was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with regulations governing armed conflict. Cross-party examination has increased over a account that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in last month to strike the boat. Democratic lawmakers have said the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could constitute a war crime, and Republicans have also expressed their apprehensions about the legality of the attack on 2 September. The Congressional armed services committees have initiated inquiries into the recent US military strikes on boats in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed Adm [Frank M] Bradley to execute these military actions,” said Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the law, overseeing the operation to ensure the boat was destroyed and the danger to the United States was eliminated.” In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were survivors after the initial attack. Her explanation came after former President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the event. Mounting Congressional Concern and Internal Support Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A thirty days following the strike, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to commander of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s armed actions against alleged narcotics-trafficking vessels has been building in the legislature, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated serious questions about the lawfulness of the attacks and the overall strategy in the region, particularly toward Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro. The congressional members indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some Republicans were doubtful. Still, they stated the alleged targeting of survivors of an initial missile strike presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. White House and Pentagon Officials Reiterate Stance The White House commented after the president on Sunday vigorously supported Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not command the death of those two men,” Trump said. He continued, “And I trust him.” Leavitt said Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some concerns about the reports over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the chair of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Congressional military committees. He restated “his faith in the experienced officers at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a release. The statement further noted that the call focused on “discussing the intent and lawfulness of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which threaten the safety and security of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Figures React and Pledge Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on the week's start generally defended the missions, echoing the White House line that they were necessary to stem the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune said the panels in Congress would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or deductions until you have complete information,” he said of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth said on the end of the week that “misleading reporting is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to undermine our remarkable service members working to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the region are lawful under both US and international law, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the military hierarchy,” Hegseth stated. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to detractors. Schumer demanded that Hegseth release the video of the strike and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The Republican senator for Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate armed services committee, vowed that his panel’s investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he said, stating that the ramifications of the allegation were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd engagement was one in a series carried out by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific as Trump has ordered the deployment of a naval group of warships near Venezuela, including the largest US carrier. More than eighty individuals were killed in the series of attacks.
A high-ranking American naval admiral is scheduled to provide a classified update to lawmakers monitoring the military this week, as they examine a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. The incident, which allegedly struck a craft carrying drugs, allegedly included a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Defends Strikes as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the follow-on engagement was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with regulations governing armed conflict. Cross-party examination has increased over a account that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in last month to strike the boat. Democratic lawmakers have said the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could constitute a war crime, and Republicans have also expressed their apprehensions about the legality of the attack on 2 September. The Congressional armed services committees have initiated inquiries into the recent US military strikes on boats in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed Adm [Frank M] Bradley to execute these military actions,” said Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the law, overseeing the operation to ensure the boat was destroyed and the danger to the United States was eliminated.” In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were survivors after the initial attack. Her explanation came after former President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the event. Mounting Congressional Concern and Internal Support Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A thirty days following the strike, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to commander of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s armed actions against alleged narcotics-trafficking vessels has been building in the legislature, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated serious questions about the lawfulness of the attacks and the overall strategy in the region, particularly toward Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro. The congressional members indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some Republicans were doubtful. Still, they stated the alleged targeting of survivors of an initial missile strike presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. White House and Pentagon Officials Reiterate Stance The White House commented after the president on Sunday vigorously supported Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not command the death of those two men,” Trump said. He continued, “And I trust him.” Leavitt said Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some concerns about the reports over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the chair of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Congressional military committees. He restated “his faith in the experienced officers at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a release. The statement further noted that the call focused on “discussing the intent and lawfulness of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which threaten the safety and security of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Figures React and Pledge Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on the week's start generally defended the missions, echoing the White House line that they were necessary to stem the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune said the panels in Congress would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or deductions until you have complete information,” he said of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth said on the end of the week that “misleading reporting is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to undermine our remarkable service members working to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the region are lawful under both US and international law, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the military hierarchy,” Hegseth stated. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to detractors. Schumer demanded that Hegseth release the video of the strike and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The Republican senator for Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate armed services committee, vowed that his panel’s investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he said, stating that the ramifications of the allegation were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd engagement was one in a series carried out by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific as Trump has ordered the deployment of a naval group of warships near Venezuela, including the largest US carrier. More than eighty individuals were killed in the series of attacks.