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A senior US Navy admiral gave the order for a second wave of strikes against an alleged Venezuelan drug vessel, a decision now confirmed by the White House. This “double tap” strike, which occurred on September 2, has sparked significant bipartisan concern among US lawmakers.
Reports indicate that two individuals survived the initial blast and were still clinging to the burning boat when they were subsequently killed, raising fresh questions regarding the legality of the operation. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the broader strikes, he did not issue an order to “kill everybody,” contradicting earlier accounts.
Leavitt affirmed that Admiral Frank Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law” when he commanded the additional strike. Since early September, similar strikes in the Caribbean Sea have resulted in over 80 fatalities. US officials typically release grainy video footage following these incidents, but often provide little detail about the alleged drug trafficking or the identities of those onboard.
The administration maintains that it is acting in self-defense by destroying vessels involved in transporting illicit drugs to the US. Both Republican and Democratic members of Congress have voiced apprehension over the September 2 incident and have pledged to initiate congressional reviews of these operations.
During Monday’s press briefing, Leavitt declared, “President Donald Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated narco-terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war.” However, the press secretary did not confirm if the first strike left two survivors or if the subsequent attack was intentionally aimed at them.
Media reports suggesting Secretary Hegseth had directed the killing of all individuals aboard the vessel during the September 2 strike have intensified concerns about the legality of US military actions against suspected drug boats in the Caribbean. Hegseth has refuted these accusations, branding them “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory.” On Monday, he expressed his full support for Admiral Bradley, stating he is “an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support.” He added, “I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made — on the September 2 mission and all others since.”
In recent weeks, the US has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean as part of an anti-narcotics operation. President Trump warned on Thursday that US efforts to halt Venezuelan drug trafficking “by land” would commence “very soon.” Millenium TV understands that congressional committees are taking the matter seriously.
Over the weekend, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced its intention to conduct “vigorous oversight to determine the facts” surrounding the September 2 strikes. Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the committee, confirmed on Monday that lawmakers plan to interview the “admiral that was in charge of the operation” and are seeking audio and video to “see what the orders were.” The House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee also pledged “bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question.”
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, representing the highest-ranking US military officers, met with both House and Senate armed services committees over the weekend. Discussions focused on regional operations and “the intent and legality of missions to disrupt illicit trafficking networks,” according to the group.
Several experts have expressed serious doubts that a second strike on alleged survivors could be deemed legal under international law. These experts suggest that survivors might be entitled to protections afforded to shipwrecked sailors or to combatants rendered unable to continue fighting. The Trump administration classifies its Caribbean operations as a non-international armed conflict with alleged drug traffickers.
Under the rules of engagement for such conflicts, as outlined in the Geneva Conventions, targeting wounded participants is prohibited; instead, they should be apprehended and cared for. Past US military actions have faced scrutiny for similar “double tap” practices, which occasionally resulted in civilian casualties.
On Sunday, Venezuela’s National Assembly condemned the boat strikes and vowed a “rigorous and thorough investigation” into the September 2 incidents. The Venezuelan government has accused the US of escalating regional tensions with the aim of destabilizing the government. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab called for direct dialogue between the US and Venezuelan governments “to clear the toxic atmosphere we have witnessed since July of last year.”
President Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had a brief phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, during which he pressured Maduro to resign and leave Venezuela with his family. Reports indicate that Trump told Maduro he could choose any destination if he agreed to depart immediately; Trump subsequently posted on social media that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “closed in its entirety” after Maduro refused.
Maduro reportedly requested amnesty for his top aides and continued control of the military after relinquishing the government, both of which Trump refused. US officials have alleged that Maduro himself is involved in a “terrorist” organization known as the “Cartel of the Suns,” which they claim includes high-ranking Venezuelan military and security officials engaged in drug trafficking. Maduro has consistently denied these allegations.
© Millenium TV
