Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday denied reports that he witnessed a second strike in the Caribbean Sea that allegedly killed survivors of the first strike, blaming it on the "fog of war."
P. Hegseth came under intense pressure after The Washington Post reported Friday that he gave verbal orders to "kill everyone" aboard ships suspected of drug trafficking before the September 2 strike—the first known U.S. strike on a vessel in Latin American international waters. Two survivors, clinging to the burning hull after the first strike, were allegedly killed in the second strike.
Asked at the White House whether he had seen survivors of the alleged second strike, P. Hegseth said he had watched the first strike live, but had not seen the subsequent attack or any survivors.
“I personally didn’t see any survivors… because the ship was engulfed in flames,” he said. “It exploded, there was fire and smoke, you couldn’t see anything… It’s called the ‘fog of war.’”
On Tuesday, Pentagon spokeswoman Kingsley Wilson also denied the Washington Post report, calling the claim "completely fabricated."
"He never said that," Wilson said at a press briefing, quoting White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt. "The decision to strike the 'narco-ship' again was made by Admiral Bradley, acting under clear and long-standing authority, to ensure the destruction of the boat and the elimination of the threat to the United States."
Over the weekend, the Republican-led Armed Services Committees in both the House and Senate announced a bipartisan investigation into the second US strike, which reportedly aimed to kill survivors of the first strike.
As a reminder, since the beginning of September, the Pentagon has carried out more than 20 strikes on ships suspected of being involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of more than 80 people on board. –0–
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