Hegseth says he didn't see survivors of embattled strike on alleged drug vessel

"The White House has defended the legality of the attack and the order they say was issued by Admiral Frank Bradley to "ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated." The strikes have killed more than 80 people in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, as international scrutiny grows over the legal grounds on which the administration is waging its pressure campaign against Venezuela."

"Driving the news: Hegseth said at a Cabinet meeting that he watched the first strike live but left before learning hours later that Bradley made the call to sink the boat. Pressed by a reporter, Hegseth said he did not "personally see survivors" on the burning vessel. "This is called the fog of war," he said before taking aim at journalists. "This is what you and the press don't understand.""

"State of play: There have been 21 kinetic strikes on alleged drug boats so far, and 82 people killed, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a news conference Tuesday. "Our operations in the SOUTHCOM region are lawful under both US and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict, these actions have also been approved by the best military and civilian lawyers up and down the chain of command," she said."

US officials defended strikes on suspected drug boats as lawful, citing an order by Admiral Frank Bradley to ensure destruction of the vessel and elimination of the threat. The strikes killed more than 80 people across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, triggering international scrutiny over legal justification and pressure tactics tied to Venezuela. A cabinet attendee said he watched the first strike live, left before the decision to sink the boat, denied personally seeing survivors and called the situation the "fog of war." Pentagon officials reported 21 kinetic strikes and 82 deaths and asserted compliance with US and international law, while some legal experts disputed the armed-conflict rationale and some lawmakers said they were kept in the dark.

Read at Axios