Washington, Sept. 7 -- United States Navy SEALs reportedly killed several North Korean civilians to cover up a failed operation aimed at planting a listening device inside the nuclear-armed country, a top U.S. news outlet has reported.

Due to its covert nature, the SEALs had to infiltrate North Korean territory under the cover of darkness, relying on blackout communications, to install a device intended to monitor the nation's leadership.

The SEALs opened fire on a small fishing vessel, killing all onboard, according to the Times, which did not specify the number of casualties.

The report drew on interviews with dozens of sources, including civilian government officials, Trump administration members, and current and former military per...