A senior US Navy admiral has testified that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not give a direct order to "kill them all" during a controversial military strike on a suspected drug boat on September 2, according to American lawmakers. The testimony from Admiral Frank Bradley in closed-door hearings was intended to quell a political firestorm over the incident, which has raised profound questions about the rules of engagement in the US war on drugs.

The issue strikes a chord in Kenya, which collaborates closely with international partners, including the US, to combat narcotics trafficking. The American military's shift towards lethal force, which has killed over 80 people since September, sets a global precedent that security analysts in Nairobi are watching closely.

While Admiral Bradley's testimony may clear Hegseth of one specific allegation, it has done little to calm the waters. The White House maintains the strikes are legal and that Adm. Bradley was responsible for the operational decisions. However, the incident, which involved a follow-up strike that killed survivors clinging to the wreckage, has deeply divided Washington.

A Deeply Troubling Picture

Lawmakers who viewed classified footage of the attack offered starkly different reactions. Republican Senator Tom Cotton defended the strikes as "entirely lawful and needful." But senior Democrat Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called the footage "one of the most troubling things I've seen in my time in public service."

"Yes, they were carrying drugs. They were not in the position to continue their mission in any way," Himes noted, describing the survivors as being in "clear distress" before they were killed. This has amplified concerns among legal experts that the strike may have violated international laws of war, which prohibit attacking shipwrecked or incapacitated combatants.

The controversy continues to unfold even as the US military announced a fresh strike in the eastern Pacific, which it confirmed was ordered by Hegseth himself, killing four people. This indicates the policy of lethal force remains firmly in place, despite the growing outcry.

• The Allegation: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was accused of ordering military commanders to "kill everybody" on a suspected drug boat.
• The Testimony: Admiral Frank Bradley told lawmakers Hegseth gave no such explicit order.
• The Reaction: Lawmakers are split, with some defending the action and others alleging it may constitute a war crime.
• The Context: The US has killed over 80 people in more than 20 similar strikes since September, marking a significant shift in its counternarcotics strategy.

As US lawmakers demand further investigation, the debate over proportionality and legality in the war on drugs is set to intensify. For nations like Kenya, a key transit hub in the global narcotics trade, the outcome of this high-stakes debate in Washington could have far-reaching implications for future international security cooperation.