On December 3, 2025, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied witnessing a follow-up strike in the Caribbean that reportedly killed survivors of an earlier boat attack. He described the scene as engulfed in flames and smoke—calling it the "fog of war."
The Washington Post had reported that after an initial strike on September 2 against alleged drug-running vessels, two survivors clinging to the burning wreck were hit in a second attack. The Post also claimed Hegseth verbally ordered a "kill everybody" directive, marking the U.S.’s first known boat strike in Latin American international waters.
When asked if he’d seen any survivors from the alleged second strike, Hegseth said he only watched the initial strike live. "It was exploded and on fire—you can’t see anything," he told reporters at the White House. Across the room, President Trump said he knew "they took out a boat" but wasn’t aware of any follow-up and praised the strike leader as "extraordinary."
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson backed Hegseth, calling the Post’s follow-up strike claim "totally fabricated." He reiterated that Admiral Bradley, under existing authorities, made the decision to ensure the threat was eliminated.
Meanwhile, Republican-led committees in both the House and Senate have launched bipartisan probes into the alleged second strike. Since early September, the Pentagon has conducted over 20 known strikes on suspected narco-vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, reporting more than 80 deaths aboard these boats.
For South and Southeast Asia’s young crowd 🌏, this is another reminder of how fast-moving ops and media reports can clash—and why clear comms matter. Stay tuned as D.C. digs deeper into this "fog of war."
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
