WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military has conducted its third strike this month against a vessel allegedly involved in drug smuggling. This latest operation reportedly resulted in the deaths of three individuals associated with the boat, which Trump stated had ties to a terrorist organization engaged in narcotics trafficking.
In a post on social media, Trump described the vessel as being in an area where U.S. Southern Command operates. While he did not specify the exact location, he emphasized that intelligence had confirmed the ship was trafficking illegal drugs intended for American consumers.
The Pentagon directed inquiries about the strike to the White House, which did not clarify where the vessel originated from. In the president’s post, he included a video showing the moment the vessel was hit by missiles, leading to a fiery explosion.
White House communications director Steven Cheung remarked on social media that the moment the strike occurred, those involved in narcoterrorism realized their failure.
Earlier this week, Trump had announced another military action that targeted a boat suspected of carrying drugs from Venezuela, also resulting in three fatalities. This followed a significant operation on September 2, when the military struck a speedboat believed to be connected to a gang labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S., which led to the deaths of eleven individuals.
The Trump administration maintains that these military actions are essential to stop the influx of drugs into the United States. However, some senators from both parties, alongside human rights organizations, have raised concerns regarding the legality of these strikes, suggesting they might be an overreach of presidential power since the military is primarily tasked with defense, not law enforcement.
National security officials informed Congress that the initial vessel was fired upon multiple times and had altered its course, appearing to head back to shore before being targeted. These strikes come amid a notable increase in U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean.
Critics from Venezuela, including President Nicolás Maduro, have voiced suspicions that these attacks may be part of a broader strategy to undermine his government. Maduro has previously claimed that a video released by Trump was falsified and argued that vessels of that size cannot operate far out at sea.
In recent remarks, Maduro accused the U.S. government of using drug trafficking claims as a cover for military actions aimed at intimidation and changing his regime.
