Washington: United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the September military strike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean, saying he would have made the same decision, including the follow up strike that killed survivors. His comments came during an appearance at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

The attack has become the centre of a growing political and legal debate in Washington. According to lawmakers who viewed a classified video, the second strike targeted two men who were floating in the water after the first hit destroyed their vessel. They appeared shirtless and unarmed.

Human rights groups, legal experts and some members of Congress have questioned whether the second strike may have violated international law and the US military’s own rules. Th

See Full Page