U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a “lethal” strike against a vessel in international waters near Venezuela, claiming it was “transporting substantial amounts of narcotics.” Hegseth stated the operation, conducted under President Donald Trump’s orders, targeted a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations. Four male individuals aboard the vessel were killed, with no U.S. personnel harmed. The strike occurred in international waters off Venezuela’s coast as the vessel allegedly transported drugs destined for America. Hegseth emphasized that intelligence confirmed the vessel’s role in narcotics trafficking and its operation on a known narco-trafficking route, vowing continued strikes until “attacks on the American people are over.”
Trump later tweeted that the boat carried enough drugs to harm 25 to 50 thousand people and suggested it was “entering American Territory” near Venezuela. This marks the fourth deadly U.S. strike in the Caribbean since Trump’s administration classified drug cartels as unlawful combatants, enabling military action without congressional approval. A White House memo stated the U.S. is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with designated terrorist organizations, citing the need to protect American interests.
The strikes have intensified amid a significant U.S. maritime presence in the region, including eight warships and over 5,000 personnel. Venezuela condemned the operation as an “illegal incursion,” accusing the U.S. of threatening its sovereignty after fighter jets were detected near its shores. The administration has conducted multiple strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, with at least three targeting ships from Venezuela.
