Overview
- Officials briefed on the mission told the New York Times the Sept. 2 strike used an aircraft painted to appear civilian with its munitions hidden inside the fuselage.
- Law-of-war specialists, including retired Maj. Gen. Steven J. Lepper, said feigning civilian status could constitute perfidy, while the Pentagon said the platform cleared legal review.
- People who viewed or were briefed on surveillance video said two survivors of the initial blast were later killed in a follow-up strike, raising separate concerns about attacking shipwrecked individuals.
- After the first strike, the military shifted to recognizably military platforms for boat attacks, including MQ-9 Reaper drones, and a later October case saw two survivors rescued and repatriated.
- The broader campaign has reached roughly 35 strikes with at least 123 people killed, as Congress receives classified briefings and seeks video and documentation of the operations.