Sen. Roger Wicker said a Senate Armed Services review found "no evidence of war crimes" in the Sept. 2 U.S. strikes on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel and that his panel will not pursue further inquiry. Lawmakers were briefed and shown classified footage of the operation in a SCIF; Adm. Frank Bradley authorized a follow-up strike that killed two survivors after an initial strike. Democrats and law-of-war experts called for a fuller investigation and public release of the unedited video, but the Pentagon has declined to do so, citing protection of military secrets.
Wicker: Senate Inquiry Finds 'No Evidence Of War Crimes' In Sept. 2 Caribbean Boat Strikes
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said Thursday that his panel's review turned up "no evidence of war crimes" related to U.S. military strikes on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean on Sept. 2. He also indicated the committee does not intend to continue a formal probe into the operation.
In a detailed statement, Wicker defended the difficult decisions service members must make under time pressure and said the committee has been "satisfied" with the information provided by military and civilian Pentagon officials. He added that the strikes in the U.S. Southern Command area were conducted based on "sound legal advice."
What the Review Covered
Wicker said the Senate panel requested and reviewed briefing materials and classified footage shown to lawmakers in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) on Capitol Hill. Those materials included video of the Sept. 2 mission, which involved multiple strikes on a single vessel.
The operation, announced by the White House, was described as targeting members and affiliates of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal organization designated by the U.S. government as a foreign terrorist organization. Leadership briefings made clear that Adm. Frank Bradley authorized a follow-up strike that killed two survivors in the water after an initial strike that reportedly killed nine people on board — a total the administration has characterized as 11 "positively identified" members.
Political Reaction And Calls For Transparency
Some Democrats and law-of-war experts have argued that a follow-up strike raised legal and ethical questions and urged a fuller investigation and public release of the unedited video. Republicans and administration officials have maintained the strikes were lawful and justified, asserting the survivors were attempting to resume the vessel's mission.
Release Of Footage: President Trump initially expressed interest in releasing the footage but deferred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said the full, unedited video would not be released publicly to protect military secrets. Adm. Bradley, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), said he would be open to wider disclosure only with Pentagon approval.
Wicker said both military and civilian Pentagon leaders "cooperated in good faith" and provided timely responses to queries. He reiterated that it is important to support service members who act on legal advice from senior counsel.
Context
Officials say U.S. forces have conducted at least 25 strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, resulting in at least 99 reported deaths identified by U.S. officials as "narco-terrorists." The Hill has reached out to SOCOM for comment; some details of the operation were first reported by The Washington Post.
