The U.S. military carried out another strike on a small vessel in the Caribbean Sea on Thursday, with Washington claiming the vessel was involved in drug smuggling. The strike is the first since a major controversy erupted late last month over a September 2nd operation in which two surviving crew members were allegedly killed in a second strike — an act defined under international law as a war crime.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly confirmed Thursday’s strike in a social media post on Friday, responding to a user calling for more action. “Your wish is our command, Andrew. Just sunk another narco boat,” Hegseth wrote. He later posted a photo of himself tagged “Never back down,” signaling defiance as scrutiny intensifies.
Hegseth has provided conflicting statements in recent days about his role in the September incident, with multiple officials alleging he personally ordered the second strike on survivors clinging to wreckage. The Pentagon has not released details from its internal review, but military lawyers have reportedly raised alarm over the legality of the decision.
Adding to the political pressure, Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar introduced two articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Thursday: one alleging murder and conspiracy to commit murder over the alleged double-tap, and a second accusing reckless mishandling of classified information tied to “Signalgate.” In that earlier scandal, Hegseth was found to have exposed classified targeting information during U.S. strikes on Yemen by discussing operations in a public Signal group chat.
Although the impeachment effort faces long odds in a Republican-controlled House, the move serves as a warning sign for the Trump administration heading into next year’s midterm elections. Should Democrats regain the chamber — a scenario polling suggests is increasingly likely — the charges against Hegseth could advance swiftly, potentially dragging in senior administration officials.
The controversy threatens to become a major obstacle should President Donald Trump order future military action, particularly against Venezuela, which some have warned that any operation that results in U.S. casualties or a prolonged conflict could rapidly transform the September 2nd strike from a brewing scandal into the centerpiece of a wider impeachment drive.