The White House has defended a U.S. admiral's decision to conduct multiple strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel in September, saying he had Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's authorisation, even as critics questioned the legality of a strike on survivors.
The Washington Post had reported that a second strike was ordered to kill two survivors from the initial strike and to comply with an order by Hegseth that everyone be killed.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would not have wanted a second strike on the boat and said Hegseth denied giving such an order.
But White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Hegseth had authorised Admiral Frank Bradley to conduct the strikes on 2 September.
"Secretary Hegseth authorised Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated," Leavitt said.
Leavitt said the strike was conducted in "self defence" to protect U.S. interests, took place in international waters and was in line with the law of armed conflict.
Starting in September, the U.S. military has carried out at least 19 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America, killing at least 76 people.
Critics have questioned the legality of the strikes, and both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have pledged to look into them.
Trump has flagged the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. On Saturday, he said the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered "closed in its entirety," but gave no further details, stirring anxiety and confusion in Caracas.
Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had spoken to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the U.S. considers an illegitimate leader, but Trump declined to provide details of the conversation.
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Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Following a dramatic, clandestine journey that saw her miss the official awards ceremony by mere hours, the Venezuelan opposition leader has finally emerged in the Norwegian capital, marking a defiant end to her time in hiding.
Venezuela has condemned the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off its coast, describing the action as "blatant theft" and "international piracy." The move marks a sharp escalation in Washington-Caracas tensions, as Venezuelan officials vow to contest the seizure through international bodies.
The Oligarch’s Design is an investigative documentary exploring how financial power, political influence and carefully constructed narratives can shape conflict and public perception.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
An explosive device found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged attackers in Bondi shooting has been secured and removed according to Police. The incident left 12 people dead.
Russian forces struck Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa for a second consecutive day on Saturday (13 December), deploying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles for the first time in the conflict, Ukrainian authorities said.
An explosive device found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged attackers in Bondi shooting has been secured and removed according to Police. The incident left 12 people dead.
Farmers in France staged protests on Saturday (13 December) over the culling of cattle linked to an outbreak of nodular dermatitis, commonly known as lumpy skin disease (LSD).
Police in Berlin dispersed a protest on Saturday evening after around one thousand demonstrators gathered against alleged police violence.
Street clashes broke out for a second night in the Tunisian city of Kairouan after a man died following a police pursuit, raising fears of wider unrest as the country nears the anniversary of the 2011 revolution.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says international cooperation is essential for Syria’s recovery as investment slowly begins to return despite the scale of destruction after years of conflict.
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