đ Share this article American Admiral to Update Congress as Cross-Party Examination Grows Over Vessel Attack A high-ranking American naval officer is set to deliver a confidential briefing to lawmakers monitoring the armed forces this week, as investigators examine a American strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. The incident, which allegedly targeted a craft carrying drugs, reportedly involved a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Actions as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted âin self-defenceâ and in compliance with laws pertaining to military engagement. Bipartisan scrutiny has increased over a report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in last month to attack the boat. Democrats have said the claims, first reported recently, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their concerns about the lawfulness of the attack on September 2nd. The Congressional armed services committees have opened investigations into the recent series of US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. âSecretary Hegseth directed the naval commander to execute these kinetic strikes,â said Leavitt. âAdm Bradley worked well within his mandate and the law, directing the operation to ensure the vessel was destroyed and the threat to the United States was removed.â In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the report that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he âwouldnât have wanted that â not a follow-up attackâ when questioned about the event. Growing Congressional Concern and Internal Support Late on Monday, Hegseth posted: âAdm Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the battlefield judgments he has made â on the September 2 mission and all others since.â A month following the strike, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to chief of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the governmentâs military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats has been building in Congress, but particulars of this subsequent attack stunned many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated serious inquiries about the lawfulness of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuela's leader NicolĂĄs Maduro. The lawmakers indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Still, they stated the alleged targeting of survivors of an first missile strike presented serious concerns and merited further scrutiny. White House and Military Officials Reiterate Position The White House commented after the commander-in-chief on the weekend vigorously supported Hegseth. âPete said he did not command the death of those two men,â Trump said. He continued, âAnd I trust him.â Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with congressional representatives who may have voiced some worries about the allegations over the past few days. General Dan Caine, the head of the joint chiefs of staff, also communicated over the weekend with the bipartisan leaders leading the Senate and House armed services committees. He reiterated âhis trust and confidence in the experienced commanders at every echelonâ, Caineâs spokesperson said in a release. The statement further noted that the call focused on âaddressing the intent and legality of missions to interrupt illegal smuggling rings which endanger the safety and security of the Americasâ. Legislative Figures React and Promise Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday broadly supported the operations, repeating the White House line that they were necessary to stop the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in the legislature would investigate what occurred. âI donât think you want to draw any judgments or deductions until you have all the facts,â he remarked of the 2 September strike. âWeâll see where they point.â Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that âmisleading reporting is producing more false, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homelandâ. âOur current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both US and international law, with all actions in accordance with the law of armed conflict â and approved by the most qualified legal advisors, up and down the chain of command,â Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a ânational embarrassmentâ over his response to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth release the footage of the attack and appear under penalty of perjury about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be âconducted thoroughly and by the bookâ. âWeâll find out the facts,â he added, stating that the implications of the report were âserious chargesâ. The September 2nd strike was part of a sequence carried out by the US military in the Caribbean and Pacific as Trump has directed the deployment of a fleet of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the largest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were killed in the series of attacks.
A high-ranking American naval officer is set to deliver a confidential briefing to lawmakers monitoring the armed forces this week, as investigators examine a American strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. The incident, which allegedly targeted a craft carrying drugs, reportedly involved a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Actions as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted âin self-defenceâ and in compliance with laws pertaining to military engagement. Bipartisan scrutiny has increased over a report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in last month to attack the boat. Democrats have said the claims, first reported recently, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their concerns about the lawfulness of the attack on September 2nd. The Congressional armed services committees have opened investigations into the recent series of US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. âSecretary Hegseth directed the naval commander to execute these kinetic strikes,â said Leavitt. âAdm Bradley worked well within his mandate and the law, directing the operation to ensure the vessel was destroyed and the threat to the United States was removed.â In her remarks to reporters, Leavitt did not challenge the report that there were survivors after the initial strike. Her explanation came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he âwouldnât have wanted that â not a follow-up attackâ when questioned about the event. Growing Congressional Concern and Internal Support Late on Monday, Hegseth posted: âAdm Mitch Bradley is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the battlefield judgments he has made â on the September 2 mission and all others since.â A month following the strike, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to chief of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the governmentâs military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling boats has been building in Congress, but particulars of this subsequent attack stunned many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated serious inquiries about the lawfulness of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuela's leader NicolĂĄs Maduro. The lawmakers indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Still, they stated the alleged targeting of survivors of an first missile strike presented serious concerns and merited further scrutiny. White House and Military Officials Reiterate Position The White House commented after the commander-in-chief on the weekend vigorously supported Hegseth. âPete said he did not command the death of those two men,â Trump said. He continued, âAnd I trust him.â Leavitt noted Hegseth had spoken with congressional representatives who may have voiced some worries about the allegations over the past few days. General Dan Caine, the head of the joint chiefs of staff, also communicated over the weekend with the bipartisan leaders leading the Senate and House armed services committees. He reiterated âhis trust and confidence in the experienced commanders at every echelonâ, Caineâs spokesperson said in a release. The statement further noted that the call focused on âaddressing the intent and legality of missions to interrupt illegal smuggling rings which endanger the safety and security of the Americasâ. Legislative Figures React and Promise Investigation The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday broadly supported the operations, repeating the White House line that they were necessary to stop the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in the legislature would investigate what occurred. âI donât think you want to draw any judgments or deductions until you have all the facts,â he remarked of the 2 September strike. âWeâll see where they point.â Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that âmisleading reporting is producing more false, inflammatory, and disparaging coverage to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homelandâ. âOur current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both US and international law, with all actions in accordance with the law of armed conflict â and approved by the most qualified legal advisors, up and down the chain of command,â Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a ânational embarrassmentâ over his response to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth release the footage of the attack and appear under penalty of perjury about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be âconducted thoroughly and by the bookâ. âWeâll find out the facts,â he added, stating that the implications of the report were âserious chargesâ. The September 2nd strike was part of a sequence carried out by the US military in the Caribbean and Pacific as Trump has directed the deployment of a fleet of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the largest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were killed in the series of attacks.