U.S. Pentagon officials are defending the actions of a Navy SEAL team involved in intercepting four drug-trafficking boats near Mexico on September 2nd. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has maintained that the operation was entirely lawful and necessary, according to military reports obtained by Blaze News.
A classified briefing revealed that during this incident, Navy SEALs intercepted all four suspected vessels off the coast of Point Sur, located north of San Francisco. Following the operation, a military lawyer confirmed there were no unlawful orders given during the strikes.
The narrative around these actions initially became contentious after The Washington Post reported allegations suggesting an order to “kill them all” was involved. However, Pentagon officials have now refuted this characterization, stating that the original interpretation is incorrect and potentially misleading about military protocols in action.
“We received reports from the field following the incident,” said a Pentagon spokesperson during Thursday’s classified briefing. “Admiral Bradley informed us directly that no such order existed, and all actions were taken within standard engagement parameters.”
This clarification comes just days after lawmakers viewed footage of the operation. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) described seeing two individuals apparently trying to retrieve drugs from one of the captured vessels, suggesting they could have been preparing for “rescue or reinforcement.” The senator emphasized that this confirmed the military’s lawful approach.
“Let me be very clear,” said Cotton during the briefing. “There was no order to give quarter, nor any order to kill them all… This operation followed proper procedures and protocols.”
Cotton also acknowledged that initial media reports might have misrepresented what occurred on the ground. He stressed that military operations follow strict rules of engagement designed to minimize civilian casualties while effectively targeting threats.
The Pentagon insists it expects its commanders in action areas to make split-second judgments based on their training, not directives from Washington. The operation appears consistent with this principle according to current reports and testimonies.
“This is a complex situation where many details remain classified,” said the spokesperson. “What we know publicly confirms that our military personnel acted appropriately under challenging circumstances.”
