The United States Southern Command has announced a renewed strike against a suspected drug trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ending a pause of nearly three weeks. This latest military action, conducted on Thursday, marks the 22nd such operation in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific under a campaign initiated by the Trump administration.
Details of the Latest Strike and Rising Casualties
According to an official social media announcement, Thursday's strike resulted in four casualties. This brings the total death toll from the ongoing campaign to at least 87 people. A video released alongside the announcement shows a small boat moving across the water before being engulfed by a massive explosion, leaving the vessel in flames and shrouded in smoke.
The military action coincided with a critical day on Capitol Hill. Admiral Frank "Mitch" Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door, classified briefings before lawmakers who have launched an investigation into the very first strike carried out on September 2. The probe was triggered by reports alleging that Admiral Bradley ordered a follow-on attack to kill survivors of the initial strike, purportedly to comply with demands from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Lawmakers Divided Over Disturbing Video Evidence
During his testimony, Admiral Bradley denied the existence of a "kill them all" order from Secretary Hegseth. However, lawmakers who viewed a stark video of the attack series were left with serious concerns. Their accounts of the footage varied sharply along partisan lines.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas stated he saw survivors "trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for the United States back over so they could stay in the fight." In stark contrast, Democratic lawmakers described a harrowing scene. Connecticut Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called it "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service."
He elaborated, "You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel... they were killed by the United States." Washington Representative Adam Smith, leading Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, described the survivors as "basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them."
Legal Scrutiny and Leadership Under the Microscope
Admiral Bradley testified alongside General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the classified session. While his testimony provided new information at a crucial time, it failed to resolve mounting questions about the legal foundation of President Trump's campaign, which uses wartime powers against suspected drug smugglers.
Legal experts have warned that killing survivors of a maritime strike could constitute a violation of the laws of military warfare. The investigation and Bradley's testimony place the leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth under intense scrutiny, even as the military campaign continues to unfold in international waters.
