🔗 Share this article American Navy Commander to Update Congress as Bipartisan Scrutiny Intensifies Over Maritime Engagement A high-ranking American naval officer is scheduled to provide a classified update to congressional members overseeing the armed forces this Thursday, as investigators examine a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which reportedly targeted a craft carrying narcotics, allegedly involved a follow-up engagement that eliminated any survivors. White House Defends Strikes as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was carried out “in self-defence” and in compliance with regulations governing military engagement. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in last month to attack the vessel. Democrats have argued the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their concerns about the legality of the attack on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have initiated investigations into the recent series of US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “The Defense Secretary authorised the naval commander to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley worked well within his authority and the legal framework, directing the operation to ensure the vessel was neutralized and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her comments to reporters, Leavitt did not dispute the report that there were survivors after the first strike. Her justification came following former President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “wouldn’t have wanted that – not a follow-up attack” when questioned about the event. Growing Congressional Unease and Administration Support Monday evening, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.” A month after the engagement, Bradley was promoted from commander of JSOC to chief of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels has been building in the legislature, but particulars of this subsequent attack stunned many legislators from both parties 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 congressional members indicated they did not know whether the recent report was true, and some Republicans were doubtful. Nevertheless, they stated the alleged attacking of individuals of an first missile strike posed serious concerns and deserved further scrutiny. White House and Pentagon Leaders Reiterate Stance The administration weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those two men,” Trump stated. He continued, “And I trust him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some worries about the allegations over the past few days. General Dan Caine, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, also spoke over the weekend period with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Senate and House armed services committees. He reiterated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a statement. The release added that the call focused on “addressing the purpose and legality of operations to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which threaten the security and stability of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Figures Respond and Pledge Probe The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on the week's start broadly defended the operations, repeating the White House line that they were necessary to stem the influx of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in the legislature would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to make any conclusions or inferences until you have complete information,” he said of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they lead.” After the news article, Hegseth said on Friday that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, provocative, and disparaging reporting to undermine our incredible warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both American and international law, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and sanctioned by the best legal advisors, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, labeled Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to critics. Schumer called for that Hegseth make public the footage of the attack and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the ramifications of the report were “grave accusations”. The 2 September engagement was part of a sequence executed by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific 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 fatally wounded in the strikes.
A high-ranking American naval officer is scheduled to provide a classified update to congressional members overseeing the armed forces this Thursday, as investigators examine a US attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea. This event, which reportedly targeted a craft carrying narcotics, allegedly involved a follow-up engagement that eliminated any survivors. White House Defends Strikes as Self-Defense The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on the start of the week asserted that the second strike was carried out “in self-defence” and in compliance with regulations governing military engagement. Cross-party scrutiny has mounted over a report that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued a spoken command in last month to attack the vessel. Democrats have argued the allegations, initially disclosed last week, could amount to a violation of international law, and GOP members have also expressed their concerns about the legality of the attack on September 2nd. The House and Senate armed services committees have initiated investigations into the recent series of US military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean region and Pacific waters. “The Defense Secretary authorised the naval commander to conduct these kinetic strikes,” stated Leavitt. “Adm Bradley worked well within his authority and the legal framework, directing the operation to ensure the vessel was neutralized and the threat to the United States of America was removed.” In her comments to reporters, Leavitt did not dispute the report that there were survivors after the first strike. Her justification came following former President Donald Trump a day earlier remarked he “wouldn’t have wanted that – not a follow-up attack” when questioned about the event. Growing Congressional Unease and Administration Support Monday evening, Hegseth wrote online: “The Admiral is an national hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I support him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.” A month after the engagement, Bradley was promoted from commander of JSOC to chief of US Special Operations Command. Concern over the administration’s military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels has been building in the legislature, but particulars of this subsequent attack stunned many legislators from both parties 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 congressional members indicated they did not know whether the recent report was true, and some Republicans were doubtful. Nevertheless, they stated the alleged attacking of individuals of an first missile strike posed serious concerns and deserved further scrutiny. White House and Pentagon Leaders Reiterate Stance The administration weighed in after the commander-in-chief on Sunday vigorously defended Hegseth. “Pete said he did not command the death of those two men,” Trump stated. He continued, “And I trust him.” Leavitt noted Hegseth had conversed with congressional representatives who may have expressed some worries about the allegations over the past few days. General Dan Caine, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, also spoke over the weekend period with the two Republican and two Democratic lawmakers leading the Senate and House armed services committees. He reiterated “his faith in the seasoned commanders at every echelon”, Caine’s office said in a statement. The release added that the call focused on “addressing the purpose and legality of operations to disrupt illicit trafficking networks which threaten the security and stability of the western hemisphere”. Congressional Figures Respond and Pledge Probe The top Senate Republican, John Thune, on the week's start broadly defended the operations, repeating the White House line that they were necessary to stem the influx of illegal narcotics into the US. Thune said the committees in the legislature would investigate what happened. “I don’t think you want to make any conclusions or inferences until you have complete information,” he said of the September 2nd attack. “We’ll see where they lead.” After the news article, Hegseth said on Friday that “fake news is delivering more fabricated, provocative, and disparaging reporting to undermine our incredible warriors fighting to defend the nation”. “Our current operations in the Caribbean are legal under both American and international law, with every step in compliance with the rules of war – and sanctioned by the best legal advisors, throughout the chain of command,” Hegseth stated. The top Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer, labeled Hegseth a “national embarrassment” over his response to critics. Schumer called for that Hegseth make public the footage of the attack and testify under penalty of perjury about what happened. The GOP lawmaker for Mississippi, Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate military panel, pledged that his committee's investigation would be “conducted thoroughly and by the book”. “We’ll find out the ground truth,” he added, stating that the ramifications of the report were “grave accusations”. The 2 September engagement was part of a sequence executed by the US military in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific 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 fatally wounded in the strikes.