🔗 Share this article US Admiral to Brief Congress as Bipartisan Examination Intensifies Over Vessel Attack A high-ranking American naval admiral is set to provide a confidential update to lawmakers overseeing the military this week, as they examine a American strike on a vessel in the Caribbean waters. This event, which allegedly targeted a boat transporting drugs, allegedly included a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Actions as Defensive Measures The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with regulations governing military engagement. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in September to attack the boat. Democratic lawmakers have argued the claims, first reported recently, could constitute a war crime, and Republicans have also voiced their concerns about the lawfulness of the strike on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have opened investigations into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed Adm [Frank M] Bradley to conduct these military actions,” said Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the law, directing the operation to guarantee the boat was neutralized and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her comments to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the first attack. Her explanation came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when asked about the event. Mounting Legislative Unease and Internal Backing Late on Monday, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A month following the engagement, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to chief of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the administration’s military strikes against suspected narcotics-trafficking vessels has been growing in Congress, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from across the aisle and sparked serious questions about the legality of the attacks and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The congressional members indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent news story was true, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they said the alleged targeting of survivors of an initial missile strike posed grave issues and merited further scrutiny. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Position The White House commented after the president on the weekend strongly supported Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt said Hegseth had conversed with members of Congress who may have voiced some concerns about the reports over the past few days. Gen Dan Caine, the head of the joint chiefs of staff, also communicated over the weekend period with the bipartisan leaders heading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every level”, Caine’s office stated in a release. The statement further noted that the conversation centered on “discussing the intent and legality of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the security and stability of the Americas”. Legislative Leaders React and Pledge Probe The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday generally defended the missions, echoing the White House line that they were essential to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune stated the panels in Congress would look into what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or deductions until you have all the facts,” he said of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth said on Friday that “misleading reporting is producing more false, provocative, and derogatory coverage to discredit our remarkable service members working to defend the homeland”. “Our current operations in the region are legal under both American and global statutes, with all actions in compliance with the rules of war – and sanctioned by the most qualified legal advisors, throughout the military hierarchy,” Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his response to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth make public the footage of the attack and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate military panel, vowed that his panel’s investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll discover the facts,” he added, stating that the ramifications of the report were “serious charges”. The 2 September strike was one in a series carried out by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the deployment of a fleet of naval vessels near Venezuela, including the biggest US carrier. Over eighty individuals were fatally wounded in the strikes.
A high-ranking American naval admiral is set to provide a confidential update to lawmakers overseeing the military this week, as they examine a American strike on a vessel in the Caribbean waters. This event, which allegedly targeted a boat transporting drugs, allegedly included a follow-up strike that eliminated any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Actions as Defensive Measures The administration spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was conducted “as a defensive action” and in accordance with regulations governing military engagement. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth gave a verbal order in September to attack the boat. Democratic lawmakers have argued the claims, first reported recently, could constitute a war crime, and Republicans have also voiced their concerns about the lawfulness of the strike on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have opened investigations into the recent series of US armed engagements on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific waters. “Secretary Hegseth directed Adm [Frank M] Bradley to conduct these military actions,” said Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his mandate and the law, directing the operation to guarantee the boat was neutralized and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her comments to the press, Leavitt did not dispute the account that there were survivors after the first attack. Her explanation came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “would not have approved that – not a second strike” when asked about the event. Mounting Legislative Unease and Internal Backing Late on Monday, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an American hero, a consummate professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2nd operation and all others since.” A month following the engagement, Bradley was promoted from commander of Joint Special Operations Command to chief of USSOCOM. Anxiety over the administration’s military strikes against suspected narcotics-trafficking vessels has been growing in Congress, but details of this subsequent attack shocked many lawmakers from across the aisle and sparked serious questions about the legality of the attacks and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The congressional members indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent news story was true, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they said the alleged targeting of survivors of an initial missile strike posed grave issues and merited further scrutiny. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Position The White House commented after the president on the weekend strongly supported Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt said Hegseth had conversed with members of Congress who may have voiced some concerns about the reports over the past few days. Gen Dan Caine, the head of the joint chiefs of staff, also communicated over the weekend period with the bipartisan leaders heading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every level”, Caine’s office stated in a release. The statement further noted that the conversation centered on “discussing the intent and legality of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the security and stability of the Americas”. Legislative Leaders React and Pledge Probe The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on Monday generally defended the missions, echoing the White House line that they were essential to stem the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune stated the panels in Congress would look into what occurred. “I don’t think you want to draw any conclusions or deductions until you have all the facts,” he said of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they lead.” Following the report, Hegseth said on Friday that “misleading reporting is producing more false, provocative, and derogatory coverage to discredit our remarkable service members working to defend the homeland”. “Our current operations in the region are legal under both American and global statutes, with all actions in compliance with the rules of war – and sanctioned by the most qualified legal advisors, throughout the military hierarchy,” Hegseth wrote. The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his response to critics. Schumer demanded that Hegseth make public the footage of the attack and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate military panel, vowed that his panel’s investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll discover the facts,” he added, stating that the ramifications of the report were “serious charges”. The 2 September strike was one in a series carried out by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the deployment of a fleet of naval vessels near Venezuela, including the biggest US carrier. Over eighty individuals were fatally wounded in the strikes.