Officials Say Boat Hit Twice Wasn’t Bound For U.S.; Admiral Defends Controversial Double‑Tap Strike

Officials: Vessel Targeted Twice Was Not Heading To The United States

The small vessel struck by two U.S. airstrikes in September was reportedly not en route to the United States, officials briefed on the operation say. Admiral Frank Bradley, who supervised the so‑called "double‑tap" attack, told lawmakers that the craft had been scheduled to rendezvous with a larger ship to transfer narcotics. That second vessel, according to sources familiar with Bradley’s remarks, was headed for Suriname in South America and could not be located by the military.

Bradley defended the strikes,

The admiral’s account conflicts with President Donald Trump’s initial statement after the strike, when the president said the vessel was "heading to the United States." Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested at the time the boat might be bound for Trinidad or another Caribbean destination.

The airstrikes provoked fresh controversy after a Washington Post report alleged a second strike targeted survivors following an alleged directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructing the SEAL team to kill everyone on board. That report prompted widespread public outrage and congressional inquiries.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers was later given a classified briefing by Admiral Bradley. According to sources who spoke with CNN, Bradley told the group two survivors of the first strike had been waving at something in the air before the second strike occurred; it is unclear whether those gestures were aimed at nearby vessels or were attempts to attract help from U.S. aircraft.

"One of the most troubling things I’ve seen in my time in public service," Rep. Jim Himes (D‑CT) said of the video shown during the briefing.

Admiral Bradley and other administration officials have denied that Hegseth issued an order to target survivors. Secretary of Defense officials have described the second strike as a result of the "fog of war" during a cabinet meeting.

The incident remains under scrutiny, with lawmakers and the public seeking a fuller accounting of the operational decisions that led to the second strike and of whether established rules of engagement were followed.