The United States conducted another strike on a small boat suspected of carrying drugs in the waters near Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, as confirmed by President Donald Trump. The casualties were on board the vessel, and there were no injuries to U.S. personnel. This marks the fifth lethal strike in the Caribbean, with the Trump administration emphasizing its approach of considering alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who warrant military action.
President Trump revealed that the strike was authorized by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who ordered the operation on Tuesday morning. A video of the strike was released by Trump, showing the small boat stationary on the water before being hit by a projectile from above, causing an explosion and subsequent flames.
The strike was carried out in international waters based on intelligence indicating the vessel’s involvement in drug trafficking and ties to “narcoterrorist networks.” While the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for more information, a defense official confirmed the details shared in the social media posts anonymously.
The use of such strikes could potentially impede counternarcotics efforts, according to former diplomat James Story, who served as the U.S. ambassador for the Venezuela Affairs Unit. He expressed concerns that these actions may strain relationships with key allies like Colombia, affecting intelligence-sharing crucial for combating drug trafficking organizations.
Criticism and frustration towards the Trump administration’s handling of the situation have been mounting in Congress, with lawmakers from both parties seeking clarification on the legal justifications and specifics of the strikes. Efforts were made to pass a war powers resolution in the Senate to restrict the administration’s authority for such operations, but it did not succeed.
The administration asserted that the U.S. is engaged in a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist groups involved in drug trafficking, leading to the authorization of military operations against them. However, there has been a lack of concrete evidence presented to lawmakers to substantiate the claims regarding the targeted boats’ illicit activities.
These strikes have occurred amid an increased presence of U.S. maritime forces in the region, prompting tensions with Venezuelan authorities. Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino dismissed the drug-trafficking allegations as false, accusing the U.S. of pursuing a regime change agenda. He cautioned the population to brace for potential escalations, denouncing the U.S. actions as aggressive and detrimental.