WorldThe U.S. military said it had conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, following a pause of almost three weeks.Announcement of latest strike comes amid new concerns about a missile strike on survivors in Sept. 2 incidentListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.U.S. navy Admiral Frank (Mitch) Bradley, centre, and Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right, are escorted to a classified briefing in Washington on Thursday, as lawmakers investigate how Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth handled a Sept. 2 military strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)The U.S. military said it had conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Thursday, following a pause of almost three weeks.It is the 22nd such strike against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific that the Trump administration claimed were trafficking drugs. There were four casualties, according to the social media post, bringing the death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people.In a video that accompanied the announcement, a small boat can be seen moving across the water before it is suddenly consumed by a large explosion. The video then zooms out to show the boat covered in flames and billowing smoke. The strike was conducted the same day Adm. Frank (Mitch) Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door briefings at the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers began an investigation into the very first strike, carried out by the military on Sept. 2. The sessions came after a report that Bradley ordered an immediate follow-up attack that killed the survivors to comply with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's demands.Bradley told lawmakers there was no "kill them all" order from Hegseth, but a stark video of the entire series of attacks left some lawmakers with serious questions.Legal experts have said killing survivors of a strike at sea could be a violation of the laws of military warfare.WATCH | White House responds to questions about boat strike:U.S. authorization of 2nd strike of Venezuelan ship questionedThe White House confirmed it authorized a second airstrike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September, but denied it ordered everyone on board be killed, which would be considered a war crime.Bradley spoke to lawmakers alongside the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine. His testimony provided fresh information at a crucial moment as Hegseth's leadership comes under scrutiny, but it did little to resolve growing questions about the legal basis for U.S. President Donald Trump's extraordinary campaign to use war powers against alleged drug smugglers. Lawmakers offered differing accounts of what they saw on the video.Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said he saw the survivors "trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for United States back over so they could stay in the fight."Hegseth authorized 2nd strike on alleged drug vessel, White House saysAnalysisAs Trump's lethal strikes on alleged drug boats draw scrutiny, U.S. Congress steps upConnecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said, "What I saw in that room was one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service.""You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion, with a destroyed vessel," he said, adding they "were killed by the United States."Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House armed services committee, said the survivors were "basically two shirtless people clinging to the bow of a capsized and inoperable boat, drifting in the water — until the missiles come and kill them."ClarificationsA previous version of this story indicated that Admiral Frank (Mitch) Bradley faced allegations of a possible war crime. While concerns have been raised by lawmakers about the legality of a Sept. 2 strike on survivors, and in general about the American campaign against alleged drug-carrying boats, no specific person faces formal allegations of having committed a war crime.Dec 05, 2025 9:44 AM EST