🔗 Share this article American Admiral to Brief Congress as Bipartisan Scrutiny Intensifies Over Maritime Engagement A high-ranking US Navy officer is scheduled to provide a confidential briefing to lawmakers monitoring the armed forces this week, as investigators probe a US strike on a vessel in the Caribbean waters. The incident, which reportedly struck a craft carrying narcotics, reportedly involved a second strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. Administration Justifies Strikes as Self-Defense The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted “in self-defence” and in accordance with regulations pertaining to armed conflict. Cross-party examination has increased over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in last month to strike the boat. Democratic lawmakers have argued the claims, first reported last week, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also voiced their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the strike on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have opened inquiries into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. “Secretary Hegseth authorised the naval commander to execute these military actions,” said Leavitt. “The commander worked well within his authority and the law, overseeing the operation to ensure the vessel was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated.” In her comments to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came following ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the incident. Mounting Congressional Unease and Internal Support Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “Adm Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my full and complete backing. I stand by him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A month following the engagement, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to chief of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the administration’s armed actions against suspected narcotics-trafficking vessels has been building in Congress, but particulars of this follow-on strike shocked many legislators from both parties and generated stark questions about the legality of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not know whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they stated the reported attacking of survivors of an initial rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved further scrutiny. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Stance The White House commented after the commander-in-chief on the weekend vigorously defended Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not command the killing of those individuals,” Trump stated. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with congressional representatives who may have voiced some worries about the allegations over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the head of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend period with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers heading the Congressional military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned commanders at every level”, Caine’s spokesperson said in a statement. The statement further noted that the conversation focused on “addressing the purpose and legality of missions to interrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the safety and security of the Americas”. Legislative Leaders Respond and Promise Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday generally supported the missions, echoing the White House line that they were necessary to stop the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune stated the panels in the legislature would investigate what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or inferences until you have all the facts,” he said of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they point.” After the report, Hegseth wrote on Friday that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and disparaging reporting to discredit our incredible warriors working to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both American and global statutes, with every step in compliance with the law of armed conflict – and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to detractors. Schumer called for that Hegseth make public the video of the strike and appear under oath about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the implications of the allegation were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd strike was one in a series executed by the American armed forces in the Caribbean and Pacific as Trump has directed the buildup of a fleet of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the biggest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were fatally wounded in the series of attacks.
A high-ranking US Navy officer is scheduled to provide a confidential briefing to lawmakers monitoring the armed forces this week, as investigators probe a US strike on a vessel in the Caribbean waters. The incident, which reportedly struck a craft carrying narcotics, reportedly involved a second strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. Administration Justifies Strikes as Self-Defense The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted “in self-defence” and in accordance with regulations pertaining to armed conflict. Cross-party examination has increased over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in last month to strike the boat. Democratic lawmakers have argued the claims, first reported last week, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also voiced their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the strike on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have opened inquiries into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. “Secretary Hegseth authorised the naval commander to execute these military actions,” said Leavitt. “The commander worked well within his authority and the law, overseeing the operation to ensure the vessel was destroyed and the threat to the United States was eliminated.” In her comments to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came following ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the incident. Mounting Congressional Unease and Internal Support Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “Adm Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my full and complete backing. I stand by him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A month following the engagement, Bradley was elevated from commander of JSOC to chief of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the administration’s armed actions against suspected narcotics-trafficking vessels has been building in Congress, but particulars of this follow-on strike shocked many legislators from both parties and generated stark questions about the legality of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not know whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they stated the reported attacking of survivors of an initial rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved further scrutiny. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Stance The White House commented after the commander-in-chief on the weekend vigorously defended Hegseth. “Secretary Hegseth said he did not command the killing of those individuals,” Trump stated. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with congressional representatives who may have voiced some worries about the allegations over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the head of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend period with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers heading the Congressional military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned commanders at every level”, Caine’s spokesperson said in a statement. The statement further noted that the conversation focused on “addressing the purpose and legality of missions to interrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the safety and security of the Americas”. Legislative Leaders Respond and Promise Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday generally supported the missions, echoing the White House line that they were necessary to stop the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune stated the panels in the legislature would investigate what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or inferences until you have all the facts,” he said of the September 2nd strike. “We’ll see where they point.” After the report, Hegseth wrote on Friday that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and disparaging reporting to discredit our incredible warriors working to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both American and global statutes, with every step in compliance with the law of armed conflict – and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to detractors. Schumer called for that Hegseth make public the video of the strike and appear under oath about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the implications of the allegation were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd strike was one in a series executed by the American armed forces in the Caribbean and Pacific as Trump has directed the buildup of a fleet of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the biggest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were fatally wounded in the series of attacks.