The White House on Monday affirmed that a Navy admiral acted “within his authority and the law” when ordering a follow-up strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea during a U.S. military operation in September. The operation has drawn bipartisan attention in Congress.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the second strike, which took place on September 2, was lawful and necessary, as lawmakers prepare a congressional review of U.S. military actions against vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean.

The scrutiny stems from a report indicating that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given a verbal order for the second strike, which resulted in the deaths of survivors from the initial attack. Leavitt confirmed that Navy Vice Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley authorised the follow-up strike and is scheduled to deliver a classified briefing to lawmakers on Thursday.

Leavitt did not dispute reporting from the Washington Post that indicated some individuals survived the first attack. Her remarks followed comments from President Donald Trump the previous day, in which he said he “wouldn’t have wanted that—not a second strike” when asked about the operation.