Overview
- The New York Times reported that the first September 2 strike on an alleged drug boat used an aircraft painted to appear civilian with munitions concealed inside its fuselage.
- The initial blast killed 11 people, and a follow-up "double-tap" strike reportedly killed two survivors clinging to wreckage, conduct that law-of-war experts say is barred against shipwrecked persons.
- Legal specialists, including retired Maj. Gen. Steven J. Lepper, said disguising a combat aircraft could amount to the war crime of perfidy.
- Officials told reporters the aircraft broadcast a military tail number via transponder, but experts noted those on the boat likely could not detect it and that visual deception still raises legal concerns.
- The military has since shifted to clearly military platforms, including MQ-9 Reaper drones, as the boat-strike campaign has reached at least 35 attacks with about 123 people killed.