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The administration of Trump has encountered criticism regarding attacks on suspected drug vessels. Legal specialists have indicated that these strikes might breach the rules of armed conflict.

The U.S. military reported that it killed four individuals in an attack on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in international waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, as part of aa movement that has resulted in the death of at least 87 individuals.

“Intelligence indicated that the ship was transporting illegal drugs and moving along a recognized drug-trafficking path in the eastern Pacific,” stated the US Southern Command in a press release.

In a video released by the US military, a small boat is seen traveling across the water when it is hit by a major explosion. The camera then pulls back to reveal the ship surrounded by fire and smoke.

The armed forces stated the attack was “under the guidance of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth,” employingthe new title for the defense secretary.

Officials informed about the strikes on September 2nd

The latest strikehappened as Hegseth and the Trump administration came under scrutiny for a comparable incident in early September, where victims of an initial explosion were killed by a subsequent attack.

Legal professionals have indicated that these “double tap strikes” might constitute a breach of the rules governing armed conflict.

On Thursday, legislators were provided with confidential updates regarding the September 2 operation. The responsibilities of Hegseth and Admiral Frank Bradley, who was in charge of the mission,were under scrutiny.

Rep. Jim Himes, the leading Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, informed reporters that the video was “one of the most alarming things” he had witnessed and demonstrated “the U.S. military attacking sailors who were stranded at sea.”

Republican Congressman Don Bacon stated on CNN that the U.S. actions did not align with the laws of war.

The rules state that they must present an immediate danger,” Bacon remarked. “And I believe we can conclude that they did not represent an immediate threat to our nation.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, nevertheless, supported the military operation.

Admiral states there is no directive from Hegseth to eliminate survivors

The sessions on Thursday followed a report stating that Admiral Bradley authorized a subsequent attack which resulted in the deaths of the survivors to meet Hegseth’s requirements.

Nevertheless, Bradley informed legislators that there was no directive from Hegseth to eliminate all crew members.

Democrats are calling for the disclosure of the complete footage from the September 2nd incident, along with written documentation of the instructions and any directives related to the operation from Hegseth.

No written instructions or recordings of spoken orders were provided to the legislators, they mentioned.

Jack Reed, the leading Democratic member of the Armed Services Committee, stated that the Trump administration has consistently refused to provide them with fundamental details regarding the operation.

The administration of Donald Trump has justified the larger initiative as part of anti-drug efforts, despite Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro characterizing the U.S. military action as an attempt to instigatea shift in leadership within a South American nation.

Edited by: Zac Crellin

Author: Shakeel Sobhan (with AP, AFP, Reuters)