The White House has defended its Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over allegations he authorised a second round of strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in September.
It has been reported that two people survived the first blast, and were still clinging to the burning vessel when they were killed, raising fresh legality questions.
Some US politicians and former officers have said the "double tap" strike would constitute a war crime.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the strikes but did not give an order to "kill everybody", adding that a top US Navy admiral ordered the strikes “within his authority and the law”.
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