🔗 Share this article American Navy Commander to Brief Congress as Bipartisan Scrutiny Intensifies Over Vessel Attack A senior US Navy admiral is set to provide a confidential update to lawmakers monitoring the military this Thursday, as investigators probe a US attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft carrying drugs, allegedly involved a second engagement that killed any survivors. Administration Defends Actions as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with laws 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. Democrats have said the claims, first reported recently, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their apprehensions about the legality of the strike on 2 September. The House and Senate military oversight panels have opened inquiries into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth authorised the naval commander to execute these military actions,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the legal framework, directing the engagement to guarantee the vessel was neutralized and the danger to the United States of America was eliminated.” In her remarks to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the first attack. Her justification came after former President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the incident. Mounting Congressional Concern and Administration Backing Monday evening, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my full and complete backing. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A thirty days after the strike, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to commander of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the government’s military strikes against alleged narcotics-trafficking boats has been building in Congress, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from both parties and generated stark questions about the lawfulness of the operations and the overall strategy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s report was true, and some Republicans were sceptical. Nevertheless, they stated the alleged targeting of individuals of an initial rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. Administration and Military Officials Reiterate Stance The White House weighed in after the commander-in-chief on the weekend strongly defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not order the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I trust him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some worries about the allegations over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the head of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend with the bipartisan leaders heading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned officers at every echelon”, Caine’s spokesperson said in a release. The release added that the call focused on “discussing the intent and legality of missions to interrupt illegal smuggling rings which threaten the security and stability of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Leaders Respond and Promise Probe The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on Monday broadly supported the missions, repeating the administration position that they were necessary to stem the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune said the panels in the legislature would look into what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or deductions until you have complete information,” he remarked of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they point.” Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that “fake news is delivering more false, provocative, and derogatory coverage to undermine our remarkable warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the region are lawful under both American and global statutes, with all actions in accordance with the rules of war – and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to detractors. Schumer called for that Hegseth release the video of the attack and testify under oath about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate armed services committee, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the facts,” he said, noting that the ramifications of the report were “serious charges”. The September 2nd strike was part of a sequence executed by the American armed forces in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the buildup of a naval group of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the largest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were killed in the strikes.
A senior US Navy admiral is set to provide a confidential update to lawmakers monitoring the military this Thursday, as investigators probe a US attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft carrying drugs, allegedly involved a second engagement that killed any survivors. Administration Defends Actions as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday stated that the second strike was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with laws 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. Democrats have said the claims, first reported recently, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their apprehensions about the legality of the strike on 2 September. The House and Senate military oversight panels have opened inquiries into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth authorised the naval commander to execute these military actions,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the legal framework, directing the engagement to guarantee the vessel was neutralized and the danger to the United States of America was eliminated.” In her remarks to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the first attack. Her justification came after former President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when questioned about the incident. Mounting Congressional Concern and Administration Backing Monday evening, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my full and complete backing. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A thirty days after the strike, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to commander of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the government’s military strikes against alleged narcotics-trafficking boats has been building in Congress, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from both parties and generated stark questions about the lawfulness of the operations and the overall strategy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers said they did not know whether last week’s report was true, and some Republicans were sceptical. Nevertheless, they stated the alleged targeting of individuals of an initial rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. Administration and Military Officials Reiterate Stance The White House weighed in after the commander-in-chief on the weekend strongly defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not order the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I trust him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some worries about the allegations over the weekend. General Dan Caine, the head of the military's top officers, also spoke over the weekend with the bipartisan leaders heading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned officers at every echelon”, Caine’s spokesperson said in a release. The release added that the call focused on “discussing the intent and legality of missions to interrupt illegal smuggling rings which threaten the security and stability of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Leaders Respond and Promise Probe The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on Monday broadly supported the missions, repeating the administration position that they were necessary to stem the influx of illicit drugs into the US. Thune said the panels in the legislature would look into what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or deductions until you have complete information,” he remarked of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they point.” Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on the end of the week that “fake news is delivering more false, provocative, and derogatory coverage to undermine our remarkable warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the region are lawful under both American and global statutes, with all actions in accordance with the rules of war – and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to detractors. Schumer called for that Hegseth release the video of the attack and testify under oath about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate armed services committee, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “done by the numbers”. “We’ll find out the facts,” he said, noting that the ramifications of the report were “serious charges”. The September 2nd strike was part of a sequence executed by the American armed forces in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the buildup of a naval group of naval vessels near the Venezuelan coast, including the largest US aircraft carrier. Over 80 people were killed in the strikes.