WASHINGTON: The United States military killed eleven people in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly transporting illegal narcotics.
President Donald Trump confirmed the operation as the first known action since his administration’s recent deployment of warships to the southern Caribbean.
“We just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
He added that more drugs are pouring into the country and specifically mentioned their origin as Venezuela.
Trump later shared a video on his Truth Social platform appearing to show drone footage of a speedboat exploding and catching fire at sea.
“The strike resulted in eleven terrorists killed in action,” he stated, confirming no United States forces were harmed during the operation.
He identified the crew as members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which the United States designated a terrorist group in February.
Trump repeated allegations that Tren de Aragua is controlled by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, accusations which Caracas denies.
The Venezuelan Communications Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident.
The Pentagon has not released specifics about the attack, including the type or quantity of drugs on board or how the strike was executed.
The decision to destroy a suspected drug vessel instead of seizing it and apprehending its crew is highly unusual.
This approach evokes memories of the United States fight against militant groups like al Qaeda.
The United States has deployed warships in the southern Caribbean in recent weeks to follow through on Trump’s pledge to crack down on drug cartels.
Tuesday’s strike appears to be the first such military operation in the region for this purpose.
Seven United States warships, along with one nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, are either in the region or expected to arrive soon.
These vessels carry more than four thousand five hundred sailors and Marines.
While United States Coast Guard and Navy ships regularly operate in the Southern Caribbean, the current buildup exceeds usual deployments.
The naval force includes warships like USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale.
Some vessels can carry aerial assets like helicopters while others can deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The United States military has also been flying P-8 spy planes in the region to gather intelligence over international waters.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the drugs were probably headed to Trinidad or another Caribbean country.
“Suffice it to say that the president is going to be on offense against drug cartels and drug trafficking in the United States,” he said.
Trump’s singling out of Maduro has raised alarms in Caracas that their government might be the real target.
Last month, the United States doubled its reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro to fifty million dollars.
Venezuelan officials have repeatedly stated that Tren de Aragua is no longer active after a prison raid dismantled it in 2023. – Reuters
