Legal Experts Question War Crime Protocol in Venezuela Strike

Legal experts are calling a recent U.S. military strike in Venezuela a potential war crime. They are also questioning why a military lawyer did not appear to stop it. The incident, a "double tap" strike, targeted a disabled boat. International law experts say this type of attack, which hits the same location twice in quick succession, is illegal if it targets rescue operations. The second strike often kills those trying to aid the initial wounded. A key military protocol was likely missing, experts say. A specially-trained lawyer, known as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, should have been involved. Their role is to review targets and ensure operations comply with the laws of war. The Pentagon has not confirmed if a JAG officer approved this strike. The experts argue that a lawyer's review should have prevented the attack on the shipwrecked survivors. The absence of such oversight raises serious legal concerns, they state.