U.S. lawmakers from both major political parties have moved swiftly to investigate explosive allegations involving a suspected drug-smuggling boat strike in the Caribbean. Reports claim that ahead of the September 2 operation, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. forces to “kill everybody” aboard the vessel — including survivors of an initial missile strike. The revelation has ignited fierce debate over the legality and morality of the administration’s aggressive maritime anti-drug campaign.
Senators Demand Full Accountability
Senators Roger Wicker (Republican) and Jack Reed (Democrat), respectively the chair and senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a joint statement calling for a “vigorous oversight” of the events surrounding the controversial strike.
Their inquiry aims to determine whether the strike — reportedly the first in a series of similar operations that has already claimed more than 80 lives — was legally justified and complied with U.S. and international standards.
Allegations: “Double-Tap” Strike Aimed at Survivors
According to sources close to the operation, the first missile strike on Sept. 2 disabled the boat but left two people clinging to wreckage. Allegedly, a second “double-tap” strike was then carried out — under orders that no one on board should survive.
The administration has defended the broader campaign — part of the wider Operation Southern Spear — describing it as a lawful and necessary effort to dismantle narcotic networks operating in the Caribbean region.
Critics Warn of Potential War-Crime or Extrajudicial Killing
Legal experts and international rights observers have reacted with alarm. They argue that ordering the killing of incapacitated survivors — especially when identities and evidence remain unverified — potentially amounts to war crimes or extrajudicial executions.
Opponents of the strikes further note that the individuals targeted have rarely been publicly named, and the U.S. government has yet to release verifiable proof linking them to illicit trafficking — raising serious doubts over whether due process and basic human rights were respected.
