Photo: Pete Hegseth/X
The White House has confirmed that Admiral Frank M. "Mitch" Bradley ordered a second strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean in September. This strike, which killed two survivors of the initial attack, has raised legal concerns and accusations of potential war crimes. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Bradley, not Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, issued the order. Leavitt stated that Bradley acted "well within his authority and the law" to eliminate the threat posed by narco-terrorists. The strike was conducted in international waters and was described as a self-defense measure to protect American interests.
Despite these assertions, the operation has sparked controversy. Critics argue that the attack violated the Pentagon's Law of War Manual, which mandates the protection of wounded or shipwrecked individuals. The manual explicitly prohibits targeting such individuals, raising questions about the legality of the strike. When pressed for further explanation, Leavitt reiterated her prepared statement without addressing the apparent contradiction.
President Donald Trump also commented on the situation, denying that Hegseth ordered the second strike. He stated, "I wouldn't have wanted that — not a second strike." Meanwhile, both Democratic and Republican members of Congress are calling for investigations into the Pentagon's actions, pledging "vigorous oversight" in response to these allegations.