US forces have killed four people in an attack on a boat off the coast of Venezuela that was allegedly trafficking drugs, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says. The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people, Hegseth wrote in a post on X.
It is the latest in a number of recent deadly strikes that the US has carried out on boats in international waters it says are involved in 'narco-trafficking'. The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing the strikes as a breach of international law.
Hegseth said the attack took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, which covers most of South America and the Caribbean. Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route, Hegseth said about Friday's attack. These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!
US President Trump also confirmed the strike on his Truth Social platform, stating that the boat was carrying enough drugs to kill 25 to 50 thousand people. However, the US has not provided evidence for its claims or any information about the identities of those on board.
There was no immediate response from Venezuela, but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes and said his country will defend itself against US 'aggression'. Friday's fatal attack is the fourth by the US in a month.
Earlier in September, Trump mentioned that 11 people had been killed in a strike against a drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean. In subsequent days, two separate strikes claimed a total of six more lives.
Additionally, a leaked memo reported by US media indicated that the US government deemed itself in a non-international armed conflict with drug cartels. This classification suggests a potential for further military action and raises questions regarding the legality of such long-term military engagement in this context.
Experts are concerned that framing these operations as active armed conflict may provide justifications for extreme wartime powers, including targeting agents of drug cartels without direct violent threats to the US. The ongoing situation reflects the complexities of international law, drug trafficking, and military engagement.
It is the latest in a number of recent deadly strikes that the US has carried out on boats in international waters it says are involved in 'narco-trafficking'. The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing the strikes as a breach of international law.
Hegseth said the attack took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, which covers most of South America and the Caribbean. Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route, Hegseth said about Friday's attack. These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!
US President Trump also confirmed the strike on his Truth Social platform, stating that the boat was carrying enough drugs to kill 25 to 50 thousand people. However, the US has not provided evidence for its claims or any information about the identities of those on board.
There was no immediate response from Venezuela, but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes and said his country will defend itself against US 'aggression'. Friday's fatal attack is the fourth by the US in a month.
Earlier in September, Trump mentioned that 11 people had been killed in a strike against a drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean. In subsequent days, two separate strikes claimed a total of six more lives.
Additionally, a leaked memo reported by US media indicated that the US government deemed itself in a non-international armed conflict with drug cartels. This classification suggests a potential for further military action and raises questions regarding the legality of such long-term military engagement in this context.
Experts are concerned that framing these operations as active armed conflict may provide justifications for extreme wartime powers, including targeting agents of drug cartels without direct violent threats to the US. The ongoing situation reflects the complexities of international law, drug trafficking, and military engagement.
