Washington, DC: 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.

The mission, approved by President Donald Trump during his first term, was compromised when shellfish hunters unexpectedly encountered the U.S. operatives as they came ashore.

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.

Notably, the operation was planned and attempted while Washington was engaged in sensitive diplomatic negotiations with Pyongyang in early 2019.

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

Officials who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity said U.S. forces attempted to conceal the killings by dumping the bodies at sea.

One source alleged that SEAL members “punctured the boat crew’s lungs with knives to ensure their bodies would sink.”

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

Many spoke out due to concerns that failures by U.S. special operations forces are “often hidden by government secrecy.”

Sources confirmed that the mission had received Trump’s final approval during his first term.

When asked about the report on Friday, Trump denied any knowledge of the operation. “I could look, but I know nothing about [it],” he told reporters. “I’m hearing it now for the first time,” he added.

Officials told the Times it remains “unclear” whether North Korea ever fully understood what transpired during the 2019 operation.

At the time, North Korea did not issue a public statement regarding the civilian deaths and has yet to respond to the Times’ recent reporting.