What do we know, and was it legal?

According to the BBC verification of legal experts, the US said on a boat in the Caribbean Sea – that the White House killed 11 drug smugglers – that it may have violated the international human rights and maritime law.

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the US forces had destroyed a ship that he said he had left Venezuela. He said that the boat was operated by Aragua Carteli and carries drugs connected to the USA.

US defense officials refused to offer details about the strike, including which legal authority they trust in the truth, socially shared by Trump.

BBC verification has reached a series of experts in international and maritime law, many of them may have acted illegally While attacking the ship.

The United States is not the signing of the United Nations Naval Law Convention, but the US army’s legal advisors “He must act consistently with his provisions”.

In accordance with the contract, countries agree not to intervene in ships operating in international waters. There are limited exceptions that allow a state to seize a ship, such as a “warm quest” where a state is chased to the open seas from the waters of a country.

“Power can be used to stop a boat, but usually these non -fatal measures should be,” He said.

However, the use of aggressive tactics, the US moves are “illegal under the sea law”, stating that “enforcement officials are threatening serious injury or loss of life” self -defense should be reasonable and necessary.

Experts also questioned whether the killing of the alleged members of the Aragua cartel would be contrary to international law on the use of force.

In accordance with Article 2 (4) of the UN Regulation, countries may resort to difficulty when under attack and deploy their armies about defense. Trump previously accused the train of Aragua Cartel of making irregular war against the United States and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs The group identified the group as a foreign terrorist organization.

However, Prof Michael Becker from Trinity College Dublin said BBC’s US actions “extend the meaning of the term beyond the breaking point.”

“The defining US strikes as narco-terrorists of the US strike does not turn them into legal military targets,” he said. “The United States, Venezuela or Train does not make an armed conflict with the criminal organization.”

“The strike not only violates the prohibition of use of force, but also due to the right to life in accordance with international human rights law.”

In this case, Prof Moffett said that the use of force may mean “an arbitrary killing” and “basic violation of human rights”.

“Labeling everyone as a terrorist does not make them a legal target and states that states take the side step of international law,” he said.

Mary Ellen O’Connell, Professor of Law Faculty of Law Faculty, said to the BBC that the strike “violated the basic principles of international law”: “Intentionally killing the hostility of the armed conflict outside is illegal if not to save a life immediately.”

“Sometimes the armed groups who fight against governments are dealing with drugs to pay their participation in the conflict. There is no evidence that the Gang President Trump is targeted.”

However, US officials were quick to defend the strike. Republican Senator Lindsay Graham wrote to X that the strike was “the final and most welcome sign that shows that we have a new sheriff in the city”.

Ohio’dan Republican Senator Bernie Moreno wrote: “Sinking this boat saved American life. Narco smugglers and Narco dictators, you will eventually get the same treatment.”

A White House official said BBC allowed Trump to strike the strike on the boat they said after the train was also a crew after the train. The authority added that it is determined to use all vehicles to prevent the President from reaching the US.

Pentagon refused to comment more or share the legal advice he had obtained before performing the strike.

In the authorization of the White House’s strike, questions about whether to comply with the US laws also emerged. The US Constitution says only the Congress has the power to declare war.

However, the President of the President II. The article, “President of the President of the Army will be the commander” and some constitutional experts, the President of the President of the authority to strike against military targets, he said. Trump administration resources have previously stated this provision to us while defending strikes against Iran.

However, it is unclear whether this provision has spread to the use of force against non -governmental actors such as drug cartels.

Romanian Cholakov, who is a US solid law expert at King’s College London, said that since 9/11, US presidents have been on strike against groups responsible for attacks since 9/11.

“The scope was constantly expanded in subsequent administrations.” He continued: “It is not immediately clear that drug cartels such as the train will be in the Aumf forces of the President of the President, but this may be” Narco-Terorists. “

Trump also continues questions about whether the war forces have complied with, and this demands that the president to “consult the Congress before he puts the US armed forces into hostility in any case possible.”

It is unclear which way the US uses to start the attack. Trump did not offer details at the news conference at the Oval Office, and the Ministry of Defense could not offer any more information.

Venezuela President Maduro has not yet responded to US strikes, but the Minister of Communication Freddy ñáñez claimed that the images published by the White House may have been produced using AI. In an article on X, he suggested that the water in the video “looks very stylized and unnatural.”

BBC Verify, the clip Synthid – Google’s AI detection software – through it, and did not find any evidence that the images were fake.

Strikes are among the reports that the US uses several maritime warships to support anti -narcotic operations against Venezuela.

We couldn’t follow all these ships. However, using the information from public followers and videos on social media, we have identified four of them in the region.

A ship, which describes itself as a USS Lake Eriie, a guided missile cruiser, conveyed its position in the Caribbean Sea on August 30th in the east of the Panama Canal on August 30th.

Two people and USS Jason Dunham, who described themselves as USS, conveyed their latest places at the American Base in the Gulf of Guantanamo, in mid -August. Fourth, USS Fort Lauderdale conveyed its position to the north of the Dominican Republic on 28 August.

Trump, who has long been trying to overthrow Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela for a long time, gave a $ 50 million award for any information that led to his arrest. Venezuela leader claimed victory, which was commonly seen by international observers in last year’s elections.

Additional reports by Lucy Gilder.