Permanent record

A follow-up U.S. strike killed two survivors of an alleged drug vessel strike

Event date
Category
Use of force and law of armed conflict
Posture:
Reported follow-up strike — legality disputed

AP reported that two men who survived the initial strike and were clinging to wreckage were killed in a follow-up strike. The White House confirmed the follow-up and defended it as self-defense compliant with the law of armed conflict; legal scholars and former military lawyers disputed that defense and said targeting people rendered hors de combat would be unlawful. No cited court has adjudicated criminal liability.

Dated sources

  1. — Former JAGs Working Group (Former military-lawyers' conditional legal statement)
  2. — Associated Press (Independent reporting)

Correction status

No substantive correction recorded for this version.

Canonical citation

A follow-up U.S. strike killed two survivors of an alleged drug vessel strike. Donaldtrumpler.com. https://donaldtrumpler.com/records/2025-boat-strike-survivors-allegation/

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