US lawmakers demand answers over Hegseth Venezuela boat strike claims

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on BBC or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: US lawmakers are demanding answers over a reported follow-up strike on a Venezuelan drug boat that allegedly targeted survivors of an initial U.S. attack
• The Washington Post reported that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had issued a spoken order to “kill everybody” on board — claims he calls “fabricated” 
• President Trump has publicly defended Hegseth “100%.” More than 80 people have been killed in similar U.S. maritime strikes since early September

🔭 The context: The Trump administration justifies its Caribbean operations as part of a “non-international armed conflict” with drug traffickers
• Legal experts argue that, under the Geneva Conventions, wounded combatants cannot be deliberately targeted, raising concerns that the alleged second strike may violate international humanitarian law
• Republican- and Democratic-led committees in Congress have opened investigations, requesting clarification on rules of engagement
• Venezuela has condemned the actions as unlawful and announced its own inquiry

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Rising military activity in the Caribbean, a region already extremely vulnerable to climate impacts, risks compounding ecological stresses on fragile marine habitats
• Explosions, debris, fuel leaks and intensified patrols can disrupt fisheries, coral ecosystems and coastal livelihoods
• Heightened geopolitical tension also diverts attention and resources from climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and sustainable blue-economy development across Caribbean states already facing rising sea levels, stronger storms and declining ocean health

⏭️ What’s next: Congressional committees are pressing the Pentagon for a full accounting of the strikes and the legal basis for classifying anti-narcotics operations as armed conflict
• The administration says the strikes are lawful but will “look into” the specific allegations
• Regionally, tensions may deepen as Venezuela demands accountability and neighbouring states assess the security implications of intensified U.S. operations

💬 One quote: “If that occurred, that would be very serious — and illegal.” — Rep. Mike Turner

📈 One stat: U.S. maritime strikes in the region have killed over 80 people since September

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