On September 2, 2025, US forces struck a vessel in the Caribbean Sea that Washington claimed was carrying illicit narcotics from Venezuela. After the first attack destroyed the boat and reportedly killed nine people, two survivors were seen clinging to the wreckage. A second strike ordered by Frank M. Bradley under the authority of Pete Hegseth killed those survivors, the White House confirmed on December 1, 2025.
The White House says Bradley acted within his legal authority, describing the actions as part of a broader anti-drug tactic to eliminate “narco-terrorists” threatening US national security. The administration maintains the operation complied with the law of armed conflict and labelled the targeted group as foreign narcotics traffickers.
But human rights experts, former military lawyers, and lawmakers across party lines have sharply challenged that justification. They argue that once survivors are incapacitated and no longer pose a threat, targeting them violates international humanitarian law the equivalent of a “double-tap” strike and potential war crime.
The boat in question had been accused of affiliation with a Venezuelan criminal organisation, but officials from Caracas later denied any link stating that investigations found none of the 11 killed were part of the group referenced by Washington.
Since September, the US has reportedly carried out more than 20 similar maritime strikes, with total deaths exceeding 80. These operations have significantly escalated military tension in the Caribbean region, raising questions about the legal and moral boundaries of such interventions.
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In response to the revelations, both the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the U.S. House Armed Services Committee have launched bipartisan inquiries into the September operations, seeking audio-visual records, orders given, and assessments of compliance with international law.
Critics warn that unregulated use of lethal force in international waters may set a dangerous precedent. “Killing people clinging to a wreck is clearly unlawful,” said one former US military lawyer. “That’s not self-defence – that’s murder.”
As investigations begin, the world watches whether the Biden or Trump administrations will continue such strikes and how legal institutions will respond to challenges over accountability and the rule of law at sea.
