Pentagon knew boat attack left survivors but still launched follow-on strike, AP sources say

Gaza hostage, Mexican cartels, and a cheetah sperm bank

ADVERTISEMENT View in Browser Policy changes, but facts endure. AP delivers accurate, fact-based journalism to keep the world informed in every administration. Support independent reporting today. Donate. By Bridget Brown December 04, 2025 By Bridget Brown December 04, 2025 In the news today: New revelations about the Trump administration's boat strikes; Thailand's government confirms the identity of the remains of a Gaza hostage; and Mexico's fight against drug cartels. Also, a sperm bank that might be the key to saving cheetahs.   A quick hello before we dive in: I'm Bridget, international editor for AP's live blogs. Most days you'll find me juggling breaking updates or editing video for our socials, but every now and then, I get to help you start your day by writing this newsletter. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Tuesday, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) POLITICS Pentagon knew boat attack left survivors but still launched a follow-on strike, AP sources say The Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike, according to two people familiar with the matter. Read more. What to know: What remains unclear was who ordered the strikes and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was involved, one of the people said. The details are becoming crucial as lawmakers have launched investigations and are seeking to determine whether the U.S. acted lawfully during its military operations. The Pentagon did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment about the reported new details about the Sept. 2 attack. The rationale for the second strike was that it was needed to sink the vessel, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss it publicly. Hegseth is under growing scrutiny over the department's strikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, and in particular the follow-on strike that reportedly killed survivors. Some legal experts and lawmakers say that the strike would have violated peacetime laws and those governing armed conflict. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pentagon watchdog finds Hegseth's use of Signal posed risk to US personnel, AP sources say Lawmakers to hear from Navy admiral who ordered attack that killed boat strike survivors A vocal Jeffrey Epstein accuser is urging judges to unseal his court records Affordable Care Act premiums are set to spike. A new poll shows enrollees are already struggling A dozen former FDA leaders lambaste claims by the agency's current vaccine chief Safety volunteer charged in the fatal shooting of a Utah 'No Kings' protester Bessent says Federal Reserve Board could 'veto' future regional presidents Longest US government shutdown cost Delta Air Lines $200 million Trump is fighting the Institute of Peace in court. Now, his name is on the building Ex-Honduras president Hernández thanks Trump in first message since release Arkansas attorney general says pardoned nursing home operator should serve state sentence NY attorney general challenges authority of acting US attorney investigating her Trump lawsuits Wisconsin Supreme Court to decide whether local jails can hold immigrants for ICE WATCH: Can tariffs eventually replace federal income taxes, as Trump claims? White House tours resume in time for Christmas, but they're different than before WORLD NEWS ID of Thai hostage's remains leaves 1 hostage in Gaza Remains that militants in Gaza handed to Israel as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal were those of a Thai agricultural worker, Israeli and Thai officials said Thursday. The return of Sudthisak Rinthalak's remains leaves just one more hostage to be returned under the agreement. Read more. What to know: Sudthisak was an agricultural worker who had been employed at Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the hardest-hit communities in the attack. Israeli officials said the 42-year-old Thai was killed on Oct. 7, 2023 during the Hamas-led attack in Israel that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli Ran Gvili is now the last hostage whose remains have yet to be returned. Gvili was an Israeli police officer who helped people escape from the Nova music festival during the Oct. 7 attack and was killed fighting at another location. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza after earlier attack by militants wounded 5 soldiers   Lebanon 'far from' diplomatic normalization or economic relations with Israel, prime minister says WORLD NEWS How 2 killings exposed the depths of cartels' grip in Mexico Two recent killings in Mexico's western Michoacan state have sent a clear message that organized crime controls much of the region, something residents have known for years. Now, as President Donald Trump has launched military attacks against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific and has offered to send the U.S. military to Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum faces increased pressure. But years of failed tactics have left residents skeptical that the government will offer a solution. Read more. What to know: Michoacan has stymied presidents before, and has become one of Sheinbaum's biggest challenges. All strategies to pacify the state over the last 20 years have failed, while criminal groups have multiplied and renewed their tactics.   The U.S. government is watching because Michoacan is a key importer of chemical precursors for synthetic drugs. In the last two months, 17 drug laboratories were dismantled by Mexican authorities. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Community police in Michoacan defend their land from cartels   WATCH: Victims of cartel violence speak out ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS READ Matthew Perry: Doctor who sold ketamine to 'Friends' star gets 2 1/2 years in prison University of Oklahoma: Instructor on leave after failing Bible-based essay on gender Cancer study: A single shot of HPV vaccine may be enough to fight cervical cancer Contaminated formula: Nearly 40 babies sickened in infant botulism outbreak Basketball star: Former NBA champion Elden Campbell dies at 57 Today in History: In 1991, AP correspondent Terry Anderson was released after being held for nearly seven years by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon WATCH Ukraine: Exclusive drone footage shows devastated town almost encircled by Russian forces Cold rescue: Tractor-trailer driver saved from dangling cab on West Virginia bridge A CHANGE OF PACE A cheetah descends from on top of a mound in the savannah of the Maasai Mara, Kenya, 2015. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) How a sperm bank for cheetahs might one day save them The world's fastest land animal might be on the brink of extinction in the future and need artificial reproduction to save it. The sperm bank at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia is a "frozen zoo" of cheetahs. It would be utilized in a worst-case scenario for the big cats, whose numbers have dropped alarmingly in the wild over the last 50 years. Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Bridget Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Bridget SUPPORT THE AP. DONATE. Manage preferences or unsubscribe | Privacy Policy *Advertisers have no control over editorial decisions or content. If you're interested in advertising, contact us here. ADVERTISEMENT