Media Citation
US defence secretary says he did not see survivors before follow-up strike on alleged drug boat | BBC
Source: BBC | 2 December 2025
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said he "did not personally see survivors" before a deadly follow-up strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean.
An initial strike reportedly left two survivors clinging to the burning vessel, before a second strike was allegedly ordered that left them dead.
The 2 September strike has prompted concerns that US forces may have violated laws governing armed conflict.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House, Hegseth attributed the strike to the "fog of war" in a chaotic situation. The White House has said that a top US Navy admiral, Frank Bradley, authorised the second strike.
