US Military Strikes Drug Boats

The United States — United States Southern Command conducted its 22nd strike against a suspected drug boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in four casualties and bringing the total death toll to 87. This latest strike occurred as lawmakers began an investigation into the first strike on September 2. Admiral Frank Bradley, who appeared for classified briefings, denied ordering a 'kill them all' attack on survivors, despite reports suggesting he did so to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's demands. Pete Hegseth's leadership is under scrutiny, and legal experts warn that killing survivors at sea could violate the laws of military warfare. Lawmakers, including Tom Cotton, Jim Himes, and Adam Smith, expressed differing and often troubling accounts of video footage showing the aftermath of the strikes, with some describing survivors being killed by the United States after their vessel was destroyed. The legal basis for Donald Trump's administration's campaign to use war powers against suspected drug smugglers remains a significant concern.