The top US Senate intelligence official has disclosed that a contentious American military operation against an alleged Venezuelan narco-terrorist vessel involved not one, but four separate strikes. The revelation has ignited a fierce political and legal debate in Washington over the mission's legality.
Closed-Door Hearings Reveal Strike Details
Admiral Frank Bradley, the mission commander, appeared before lawmakers on Capitol Hill this Thursday for classified briefings with both the House and Senate. The sessions aimed to clarify the events of September 2, 2025, an operation now mired in controversy after it emerged survivors of the initial attack were subsequently killed.
Following the briefing, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, staunchly defended the military's actions. He described the targets as "narco-terrorists" trafficking drugs destined for the United States, claiming the operation saved thousands of lives. "The first strike, the second strike, and the third and the fourth strike on September 2, were entirely lawful and needful," Cotton asserted to reporters.
A Clash of Narratives: Lawful Target or War Crime?
The core controversy stems from the follow-up strikes that killed two men who had survived the initial bombardment. Under international law, such actions are tightly regulated, leading top Democrats to accuse Secretary of War Pete Hegseth of potentially authorising a war crime. A prior report suggested Hegseth ordered officers to "leave no survivors," an allegation both he and the White House deny.
Senator Cotton, after viewing military footage, argued the subsequent strikes were justified. "I saw two survivors trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for the United States back over so they can stay in the fight," he said, adding that other boats were reportedly en route to aid them. This depiction, if accurate, could provide legal grounds for a secondary engagement.
However, leading Democrats emerged from the same briefing deeply alarmed. Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, stated the briefing "confirmed my worst fears." He called for the video to be made public, a move President Donald Trump has also supported.
Jim Himes, a Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, was visibly disturbed. "What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service," Himes said. "You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel, who were killed by the United States."
Ongoing Investigation and Political Fallout
The White House has maintained the strike, which President Trump said killed 11 people in 'international waters', was a necessary action against the cartel Tren de Aragua. Secretary of State Marco Rubio located the "lethal strike" in the "southern Caribbean."
Despite Admiral Bradley's authority being defended by Chairman Cotton—who claimed he would have made the same call—the Senate's investigation continues. Senator Reed confirmed the probe into the strikes' nature and legality is ongoing, ensuring this incident will remain a flashpoint in the debate over military authority and international humanitarian law.
