Overview
- The New York Times and other outlets report the Sept. 2 strike used a classified aircraft painted to appear civilian with munitions hidden in the fuselage, though its transponder broadcast a military tail number.
- Legal specialists say feigning civilian status to conduct an attack could constitute the war crime of perfidy, a question now featuring in congressional briefings on the operation.
- The initial strike killed 11 people, and a follow‑up blast killed two survivors clinging to wreckage, a practice critics note violates prohibitions on attacking shipwrecked persons.
- Pentagon officials maintain the operation complied with domestic and international law and say aircraft are vetted for law‑of‑armed‑conflict compliance.
- Following the September attack, the military shifted to recognizably military platforms, including MQ‑9 Reaper drones, as the campaign expanded to at least 35 strikes and more than 100 deaths.