Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that US strikes on drug traffickers' boats are completely legal amid reports in The media about the order given to them to "kill everyone."
"Our current operations in the Caribbean region are legal both in accordance with US law and international law, all actions comply with the laws of armed conflict and are approved by the best military and civilian lawyers at all levels of command," he wrote on the social network X.
On Friday, the Washington Post newspaper, citing sources, reported that Hegseth, during US strikes on drug traffickers off the coast of Venezuela, ordered "to kill everyone," in connection with this, during the first strike on September 2, the commanders were ordered to strike a second strike to kill the survivors.
In September and October, the United States repeatedly used its armed forces to destroy boats carrying drugs near the coast of Venezuela. These actions were criticized by some American congressmen who believe that the administration of US President Donald Trump should provide lawmakers with more grounds for striking.