US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has defended a controversial second military strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea in September, saying he did not witness any survivors prior to the attack. The strike has sparked international outrage and calls for a possible war crimes investigation.

Speaking at a White House Cabinet meeting presided over by President Donald Trump, Hegseth stated that he observed the initial strike on September 2 in real time but was not present for the deadly follow-up attack.

Hegseth Defends Double-Tap Strike

Hegseth claimed that Admiral Frank Bradley, head of US Special Operations and mission commander for the September 2 attacks, had made the correct decision to carry out the second strike, describing it as necessary to “eliminate the threat.”

“I did not personally see survivors,” Hegseth said, explaining that fire and smoke obscured the scene. He added, “This is called the fog of war,” while emphasizing that the administration empowers commanders to make difficult decisions during operations.

Hegseth also referred to the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” echoing President Trump’s framing of military operations, despite the administration’s claim of being a peacemaking force.

Calls for Accountability

The second strike, often referred to as a double-tap, reportedly targeted two survivors clinging to the wreckage of the first hit. Legal scholars and Democratic lawmakers have condemned it as a likely war crime.

“Secretary Hegseth may have been experiencing the ‘fog of war,’ but that doesn’t change the fact that this was an extrajudicial killing amounting to murder or a war crime,” US Senator Chris Van Hollen said on social media. “One thing is clear: Pete Hegseth is unfit to serve. He must resign.”

Controversial Military Campaign

The Trump administration has conducted at least 22 strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, aimed at disrupting alleged drug trafficking operations. Reports indicate that at least 83 people were killed during these operations.

However, the US has not publicly provided evidence that the targeted vessels were transporting narcotics, were heading to the United States, or were controlled by sanctioned cartels. Critics argue that such strikes violate international law, with the Pentagon’s own manuals stating that firing on survivors of shipwrecked vessels is “clearly illegal.”

Hegseth called reporting by The Washington Post on the double-tap strike “fake news,” describing the coverage as “fabricated and inflammatory.”