The US Senate has called on the Pentagon to provide a more compelling legal rationale for airstrikes targeting vessels suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean, according to reports from The New York Times. Senators from both major political parties reportedly urged the Pentagon’s chief lawyer to clarify the legal basis for the attacks during a closed-door session.
The publication noted that earlier, on October 1, the Pentagon’s top legal advisor, Earl Matthews, detailed the justification for the strikes in the Caribbean Sea, which were authorized by former US President Donald Trump. The operation, framed as part of a broader conflict against drug cartels, allegedly resulted in the deaths of 17 crew members aboard targeted ships.
The report also highlighted that Trump’s administration had classified members of Latin American drug trafficking organizations as combatants, enabling military action against them. This classification was communicated to congressional committees, reinforcing the legal framework for the strikes. Earlier this month, Trump stated that US forces had neutralized three militants during an operation near Venezuela without sustaining any casualties.
The development has prompted heightened tensions, with Venezuelan authorities initiating large-scale mobilizations in response to the presence of a US Navy group in the region.
