Overview
- White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt has confirmed a follow-up strike on Sept. 2 and said Admiral Frank Bradley ordered it.
- Briefing lawmakers in classified sessions, Bradley defended finishing off the disabled boat and said he did not receive a directive from Pete Hegseth to “kill them all.”
- Members who viewed video of the incident split sharply, with Democrats describing the footage of apparent shipwrecked survivors as deeply troubling and several Republicans calling the second strike justified.
- A Pentagon inspector general report found Hegseth shared sensitive operational details over Signal in March, creating risk to U.S. forces, even as Hegseth and allies claimed the review exonerated him and no discipline was recommended.
- The operation is part of a broader maritime campaign reported to include about 21 strikes and at least 83 deaths, and congressional committees are pursuing continued oversight as legal experts warn the law of war forbids killing shipwrecked persons.