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White House confirms second attack on ship in Venezuela

2025-12-02 07:44:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The White House has confirmed that a top US Navy commander ordered a second round of military strikes on a suspected Venezuelan drug-trafficking ship.

"Admiral (Frank) Bradley worked well within his authority and the law" in ordering the additional strike, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said Monday.

Leavitt confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the attacks, but did not give the order to "kill everyone," as the Washington Post reported. The second attack was reportedly carried out after two people survived the initial explosion and were clinging to the burning ship.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about the report and have vowed to review the attacks in Congress.

"President Donald Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made clear that narco-terrorist groups designated by the president are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war," Leavitt said during a press conference on Monday.

The press secretary did not confirm that the first attack left two survivors, nor that the second attack was intended to kill them. Media reports that Hegseth had given the directive to kill everyone on board the ship during the September 2 attack have renewed concerns about the legality of US military strikes against suspected drug ships in the Caribbean.

Hegseth has disputed the allegations in the report, calling them "fabricated, inflammatory and contemptuous." On Monday, he tweeted that Admiral Bradley "is an American hero, a true professional, and has my 100% support. I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made - on the September 2nd mission and all others since."

In recent weeks, the US has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean and carried out a series of deadly attacks on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters near Venezuela and Colombia, as part of what it calls a counter-narcotics operation.

More than 80 people have been killed in attacks since the beginning of September.

The Trump administration says it is acting in self-defense by destroying ships carrying illegal drugs to the US.

The attacks have sharply increased tensions with Venezuela. Trump has repeatedly said he is considering deploying US ground forces to the country./ CNA, translated by BBC