The United States military strikes on a narco-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean have killed four alleged drug cartel members, the US Southern Command said.
In a post on X, US Southern Command wrote, “At the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organisation in international waters.” No service member was harmed in the operation, the statement added.
Yesterday’s attack marks the second in this week alone and the 26th overall since Trump deployed a small naval fleet in the Caribbean waters. A total of 12 people have lost their lives over the past couple of days, while US attacks since September have killed 99 people.
These strikes are part of an intensified US military campaign targeting suspected drug smuggling in the Eastern Pacific and in the Caribbean waters. Donald Trump has accused Venezuela of stealing land and resources from the United States while demanding control of the vast mineral resources that the country possesses.
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Trump on Tuesday ordered a complete blockade of the sanctioned oil tankers arriving and leaving Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro responded to Trump earlier Wednesday, accusing the US of seeking regime change along with ownership of Venezuela’s territory and resources.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Congress are continuing to pressure the Trump administration for more information about its offensive on the alleged drug boats. Furthermore, upon noticing the escalatory nature of the ongoing diplomatic feud between the two countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the Maduro government and assured all possible support to defuse the tensions with the US.
Also Read: 8 killed in US strikes on suspected drug boats in Eastern Pacific
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