US faces war crime allegation for ‘disguising’ aircraft in drug boat attack

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 13, 2026 at 07:40 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A New York Times report alleges the U.S. military disguised a military aircraft as a civilian plane during a September attack on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea. The report, published in January 2026, raises concerns that the act could constitute a war crime, specifically "perfidy," due to the concealment of military identity and weaponry. The alleged incident occurred during the initial strike of a boat-bombing campaign launched by President Trump on September 2nd, 2025, which resulted in 11 deaths. While the aircraft's transponder transmitted a military tail number, sources claim it was painted to resemble a civilian vessel, lacking military markings. A retired Air Force Major General stated that if the aircraft wasn't identifiable as a combatant aircraft, it shouldn't have been engaged in combat.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

US Air Force 40% Eastern Pacific 40% Truth Social 40% White House 40% Caribbean Sea ×250% Steven Lepper ×260% Venezuela 60% Donald Trump ×370% The New York Times ×580% United States ×490%

Keywords

war crime 90% disguised aircraft 80% drug smuggling boat 70% perfidy 70% military strike 60% armed conflict 50% international law 50% trump administration 40% boat attack 40%