The "double tap" strike on 2 September has drawn bipartisan scrutiny among US lawmakers. The Washington Post recently reported that two people survived the first blast and were still clinging to the burning vessel when they were killed, raising fresh legality questions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the strikes but did not give an order to "kill everybody", as the report said. "Admiral (Frank) Bradley worked well within his authority and the law" in ordering the additional strike, Leavitt said.

More than 80 people have been killed in a number of similar strikes in the Caribbean Sea since early September. Each announcement from US officials is usually accompanied by grainy video, but no evidence of the alleged drug trafficking, and few details on who or what was on board each vessel. The Trump administration says it is acting in self-defence by destroying boats carrying illicit drugs to the US.

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern over the report of the 2 September incident and have vowed congressional reviews of the strikes. "President (Donald) Trump and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that presidentially designated narco-terrorist groups are subject to lethal targeting in accordance with the laws of war," Leavitt said during the Monday press briefing. The press secretary neither confirmed the first strike left two survivors, nor that the second attack was intended to kill them. Media reports that Hegseth had given the directive to kill all those on board the vessel during the 2 September strike have renewed concerns about the legality of US military strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. (BBC)