New Delhi, Dec. 2 -- Amid an ongoing row surrounding Pete Hegseth's alleged direction to kill everyone on board a suspected drug boat, the White House on Monday clarified that an admiral ordered the strikes after securing relevant authorization from the US Defense Secretary.

During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Hegseth authorized an admiral to carry out the strikes, as reported by Reuters.

Leavitt added that the admiral approved a second strike on the boat and was well within his legal right to do so.

The White House's statement on the issue comes after US President Donald Trump earlier defended his Defense Secretary, after a Washington Post report alleged that Hegseth, on September ...