The White House said on Monday that Admiral Frank Bradley acted within the scope of his legal authority when he ordered a second strike on individuals who survived an initial attack on what officials described as a drug-trafficking vessel. The confirmation followed rising scrutiny of the operation and renewed questions about whether US forces conducted a “double-tap” strike, a tactic typically associated with targeting survivors following an initial assault. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the admiral’s actions were both lawful and properly authorised under the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
According to the White House, Bradley, who oversees the US Special Operations Command, issued the follow-up strike to ensure the alleged narco boat posed no continuing threat to the United States. Leavitt said the decision reflected the rules of engagement governing current counter-trafficking missions in the Caribbean and emphasised that Hegseth had authorised him to conduct the kinetic operations in question. The administration’s statement aligned with the position of President Donald Trump, who publicly supported Hegseth a day earlier and signalled that he would not have opposed the decision.
The clarification, however, contrasted with Hegseth’s earlier dismissal of media reports alleging that survivors were intentionally targeted. He previously described such accounts as fabricated attempts to undermine US service members operating in the region. On Friday, Hegseth defended the broader campaign, insisting that the objective of recent missions was to stop the flow of lethal narcotics, dismantle drug-smuggling vessels, and eliminate what he described as narco terrorists responsible for harming American communities. He maintained that all actions taken by US forces comply with both domestic statutes and international legal standards.
The operation drew heightened attention after a report stated that on September 2, US forces executed a follow-up strike after observing two individuals who survived an earlier missile attack. Following that mission, according to the report, internal protocols were revised to prioritise the rescue of any survivors encountered in future operations. The account prompted debate over the rules of engagement applied in maritime drug-interdiction missions and whether lethal force should continue to be used against suspected traffickers at sea.
Responding to the claims, Hegseth reiterated his view that the allegations were inaccurate and intended to discredit American personnel. He said that the military’s activities in the Caribbean remained firmly grounded in legal guidance approved at multiple levels of command, including civilian and military legal offices. Despite the controversy, US officials said the focus of the mission continues to be the disruption of drug-smuggling networks, which they argue pose a persistent threat to national security. The administration has not indicated whether additional reviews of the strike will be conducted.
