Pete Hegseth and the U.S. military are facing intense scrutiny after new details emerged about a controversial Sept. 2 airstrike in the Caribbean Sea that killed 11 people aboard a suspected drug-smuggling vessel. According to briefings given to members of Congress, all 11 individuals were on an internal U.S. military list of Narco-terrorists.
They were all eligible for lethal targeting under rules established by the Trump administration’s expanded campaign against drug trafficking organizations.
The revelation adds a significant new layer to an already contentious operation that has sparked legal, ethical, and political debate over the use of military force against alleged drug smugglers.
Pete Hegseth defends US strikes on alleged drug boats
Orders from Pete Hegseth and the Target List
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly ordered the military to kill everyone on the boat because all 11 individuals had been pre-identified by U.S. intelligence as legitimate military targets, according to two U.S. officials and one person familiar with classified congressional briefings.
