United States lawmakers have opened formal investigations following reports that the military may have conducted a second strike aimed at killing survivors of a September attack on a suspected Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel.
The controversy deepened after The Washington Post revealed that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly instructed military forces to “kill everybody” on board during the initial operation. The report claims that after the first strike, a follow-up attack targeted individuals who had survived the blast.
Both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees — currently led by Republican lawmakers — confirmed on Sunday that they are seeking immediate explanations from the Pentagon. They described the situation as “serious” and said robust oversight is already underway.
Leaders of both political parties also warned that, if the allegations are accurate, the second strike on survivors may amount to a violation of international law.
In a joint statement, lawmakers emphasized that the military is bound by strict rules of engagement and that any deviation from those standards must be thoroughly investigated.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
