World

US lawmakers divided over Caribbean strike video briefing

December 5, 2025 11:17 am

Source: Reuters

U.S. lawmakers split along party lines after being briefed on Thursday on a strike against a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean, with Democrats saying they were horrified by a video showing survivors in distress being killed, while a Republican lawmaker defended the strike as legal.

On September 2, the U.S. military destroyed a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean, killing 11 suspected traffickers. Officials have said the operation included a follow-on strike against the vessel after an initial attack when there were still survivors, raising questions about the legality of the operation and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s role in it.