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Welcome to our coverage of American political developments. The White House has asserted that a senior US Navy commander directed a additional wave of kinetic actions on an purported Venezuelan contraband vessel on the second day of September, not Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Secretary Hegseth approved Vice Admiral Bradley to execute these military actions. Admiral Bradley acted fully within his jurisdiction and the legal framework overseeing the engagement to ensure the vessel was neutralized and the risk to the US was removed.

Amid claims that the defense secretary had ordered a war crime, White House press secretary Leavitt declared that Hegseth authorised the attacks but did not give an order to “kill everybody”.

When asked by a correspondent to clarify how the strike was not an case of a war crime, Leavitt again justified the operation, asserting it was “carried out in international waters and in keeping with the rules of war”.

Central Commander to Inform Congress

US Navy senior officer Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley, who was commander of Joint Special Operations Command at the time of the attack, will give a classified report to legislators on Thursday.

Hegseth promised his support for Bradley in a public message which cast the decision as one taken by the admiral, not him.

“Let me be perfectly clear: Vice Admiral Mitch Bradley is an national hero, a highly skilled officer, and has my 100% support. I back him and the battlefield judgments he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since. America is lucky to have such men safeguarding us.”

Legislative Inquiries Launched

Both the Senate and lower chamber military oversight panel leaders have announced inquiries into the allegations, with few details currently disclosed on who or which cargo was on the deck of the vessel.

Since September, US aerial bombardments have hit purported contraband-running craft in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 persons.

The current government has offered no solid evidence to back up the allegations behind its deadly operations, and several analysts have challenged the lawfulness of the operations.

Broader Geopolitical Tensions

Separately, the disclosure that the twin-island nation has sanctioned the setup of a US military surveillance radar has fueled concerns that the Caribbean region could be pulled into the intensifying crisis between the US and Venezuela.

Notwithstanding an seeming readiness to keep lines of communication open, tensions between Washington and Venezuela remain elevated as US attacks against alleged drug boats in the region have been under way for months.

The situation is developing, with additional briefings and congressional examination likely in the days ahead.