On December 2, 2025, the White House confirmed that Admiral Frank Bradley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, ordered a 'double-tap' strike on survivors of an alleged drug smuggling boat. The initial attack sank the vessel in international waters in early September, and the follow-up hit, authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, raised tough questions about legality and ethics. 😮
The two strikes on September 2 left 11 people dead and marked the opening salvo of a months-long counter-narcotics campaign in the Caribbean and Pacific. According to the White House, Admiral Bradley acted fully within his authority 'to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated.' ⚖️
When pressed by reporters, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that Hegseth 'authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes,' and that military lawyers had vetted the action 'up and down the chain of command.'
Defense Secretary Hegseth himself took to X to defend the decision, posting 'I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since.' Other Pentagon spokespeople denied earlier media claims of a follow-up attack on shipwrecked survivors, labeling 'this entire narrative … false.'
But critics say the so-called double-tap tactic risks war crimes. Senator Chris Murphy blasted Hegseth for 'passing the buck' after both parties called the strikes 'illegal' and 'wildly immoral.' On the same broadcast, Congressman Mike Turner told CNN that lawmakers are still waiting for a full briefing on how these operations were run.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senators Jacky Rosen and Chris Van Hollen have questioned whether the September 2 strikes violated international law, and Senator Mark Kelly has urged a congressional investigation, noting 'if survivors were clinging to a damaged vessel, that could be over a line.'
The White House and Pentagon say these operations, all in international waters, are legal under the law of armed conflict and necessary in the fight against 'narco-terrorists.' But Pentagon rulebooks remind us that orders targeting shipwrecked individuals would be 'clearly illegal.'
The U.S. Navy's largest aircraft carrier remains in the Caribbean as part of this counter-narcotics push, a show of force that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sharply criticized as a cover for potential regime change in Caracas. 🇻🇪
As Congress debates hearings and probes, the 'double-tap' attack is under the spotlight. The outcome could reshape the rules of engagement for future naval missions—and redefine how far the U.S. can go in the name of drug interdiction. 👀
Reference(s):
White House confirms admiral ordered 2nd strike on alleged drug boat
cgtn.com
