URGENT UPDATE: Lawmakers from both parties are calling for immediate congressional reviews of U.S. military strikes on vessels allegedly involved in drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. This comes after a shocking report claimed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order during a September 2 attack that all crew members of targeted boats should be killed.
The gravity of the situation escalates as Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) stated, “This rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true.” Meanwhile, Representative Mike Turner (R-Ohio) expressed skepticism about the report but acknowledged that the implications of attacking survivors are profound and illegal. “If that occurred, that would be very serious and I agree that that would be an illegal act,” Turner emphasized.
This urgent scrutiny follows President Donald Trump’s recent declaration that the airspace over Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” further heightening tensions in the region. Venezuelan officials have condemned this as a “colonial threat,” intensifying the stakes surrounding U.S. military operations.
In response to the allegations, Hegseth defended the military operations on X (formerly Twitter), asserting, “Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law.” He labeled the Washington Post report as “fake news,” designed to discredit U.S. forces.
Both Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced rigorous oversight to uncover the facts behind these military actions. Similarly, the House Armed Services Committee, led by Representative Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), pledged to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the ongoing military operations in the Southern Command region.
The bipartisan call for accountability highlights the significant concerns within Congress about the legality of the strikes. Lawmakers are committed to ensuring that any actions taken by the military comply with the law of armed conflict.
In a statement, Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.) emphasized the need for transparency, suggesting that Hegseth should be given a chance to clarify the situation. “We should get to the truth. I don’t think he would be foolish enough to make this decision to say, kill everybody, kill the survivors because that’s a clear violation of the law of war,” Bacon remarked.
As this story develops, Congress is poised to hold hearings and gather more information regarding these military actions, signaling a potential shift in the administration’s approach to combating drug trafficking. The implications of these attacks extend beyond legality, raising ethical questions about military engagement in international waters.
Stay tuned for more updates as this critical situation unfolds.
