🔗 Share this article US Navy Commander to Brief Congress as Bipartisan Examination Intensifies Over Vessel Attack A high-ranking US Navy admiral is set to deliver a confidential update to congressional members overseeing the military this week, as they examine a American strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft transporting drugs, reportedly included a follow-up engagement that killed any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Strikes as Defensive Measures The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday asserted that the follow-on engagement was carried out “as a defensive action” and in compliance with laws pertaining to armed conflict. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a account that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order in September to attack the vessel. Democratic lawmakers have argued the allegations, first reported last week, could constitute a violation of international law, and Republicans have also expressed their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the attack on 2 September. The House and Senate armed services committees have initiated inquiries into the recent US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific waters. “The Defense Secretary authorised Adm [Frank M] Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his authority and the legal framework, directing the operation to guarantee the boat was destroyed and the danger to the United States of America was eliminated.” In her remarks to the press, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were individuals who survived after the first strike. Her justification came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “wouldn’t have wanted that – not a follow-up attack” when questioned about the event. Growing Legislative Unease and Internal Backing Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an American hero, a consummate 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 month after the strike, Bradley was promoted from head of JSOC to commander of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s armed actions against alleged drug-smuggling boats has been growing in the legislature, but details of this follow-on strike stunned many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated stark inquiries about the legality of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they said the reported attacking of individuals of an first rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Position The White House weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed 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 with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned officers at every level”, Caine’s office stated in a release. The statement added that the call focused on “discussing the intent and lawfulness of operations to interrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the security and security of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Leaders Respond and Promise Investigation The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on the week's start generally defended the operations, repeating the administration position that they were essential to stop the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in Congress would look into what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or inferences until you have complete information,” he said of the 2 September strike. “We’ll see where they point.” Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on Friday that “fake news is producing more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory coverage to discredit our remarkable warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our ongoing missions in the region are lawful under both US and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the military hierarchy,” Hegseth wrote. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to critics. Schumer called for that Hegseth release the footage of the attack and testify under oath about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his panel’s inquiry would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll discover the ground truth,” he added, noting that the ramifications of the report were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd strike was one in a series executed by the US military in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the buildup of a naval group of warships near Venezuela, including the largest US aircraft carrier. More than eighty individuals were fatally wounded in the series of attacks.
A high-ranking US Navy admiral is set to deliver a confidential update to congressional members overseeing the military this week, as they examine a American strike on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which allegedly struck a craft transporting drugs, reportedly included a follow-up engagement that killed any remaining individuals. White House Justifies Strikes as Defensive Measures The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday asserted that the follow-on engagement was carried out “as a defensive action” and in compliance with laws pertaining to armed conflict. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a account that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order in September to attack the vessel. Democratic lawmakers have argued the allegations, first reported last week, could constitute a violation of international law, and Republicans have also expressed their apprehensions about the lawfulness of the attack on 2 September. The House and Senate armed services committees have initiated inquiries into the recent US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific waters. “The Defense Secretary authorised Adm [Frank M] Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley acted well within his authority and the legal framework, directing the operation to guarantee the boat was destroyed and the danger to the United States of America was eliminated.” In her remarks to the press, Leavitt did not challenge the account that there were individuals who survived after the first strike. Her justification came after ex-President Donald Trump a day earlier said he “wouldn’t have wanted that – not a follow-up attack” when questioned about the event. Growing Legislative Unease and Internal Backing Monday evening, Hegseth posted: “The Admiral is an American hero, a consummate 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 month after the strike, Bradley was promoted from head of JSOC to commander of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s armed actions against alleged drug-smuggling boats has been growing in the legislature, but details of this follow-on strike stunned many lawmakers from across the aisle and generated stark inquiries about the legality of the operations and the broader policy in the area, particularly toward Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro. The lawmakers indicated they did not have confirmation whether the recent report was accurate, and some GOP senators were sceptical. Nevertheless, they said the reported attacking of individuals of an first rocket attack presented serious concerns and deserved additional investigation. White House and Military Leaders Affirm Position The White House weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those individuals,” Trump said. He added, “And I believe him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed 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 with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Senate and House military committees. He reiterated “his trust and confidence in the seasoned officers at every level”, Caine’s office stated in a release. The statement added that the call focused on “discussing the intent and lawfulness of operations to interrupt illicit trafficking networks which endanger the security and security of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Leaders Respond and Promise Investigation The Senate majority leader, John Thune, on the week's start generally defended the operations, repeating the administration position that they were essential to stop the flow of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in Congress would look into what happened. “I don’t think you want to draw any judgments or inferences until you have complete information,” he said of the 2 September strike. “We’ll see where they point.” Following the news article, Hegseth wrote on Friday that “fake news is producing more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory coverage to discredit our remarkable warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our ongoing missions in the region are lawful under both US and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict – and approved by the best legal advisors, up and down the military hierarchy,” Hegseth wrote. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, called Hegseth a “disgrace” over his reaction to critics. Schumer called for that Hegseth release the footage of the attack and testify under oath about what transpired. The Republican senator for the state of Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate military panel, pledged that his panel’s inquiry would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll discover the ground truth,” he added, noting that the ramifications of the report were “grave accusations”. The September 2nd strike was one in a series executed by the US military in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean as Trump has ordered the buildup of a naval group of warships near Venezuela, including the largest US aircraft carrier. More than eighty individuals were fatally wounded in the series of attacks.