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The US military on Tuesday carried out a deadly strike, destroying a vessel sailing from Venezuela that was allegedly transporting illegal narcotics. According to President Donald Trump, the attack left 11 people dead and marked the first known military operation since Washington deployed warships to the southern Caribbean.
Speaking at the White House, Trump told reporters: “We just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat, a lot of drugs in that boat.”
He warned that more operations could follow, stressing the long-standing challenge of narcotics entering the United States. “And there’s more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time…These came out of Venezuela,” Reueters quoted Trump as saying.
Trump later posted a video on his Truth Social platform that appeared to show drone footage of a speedboat at sea exploding before erupting in flames. In a separate statement, he said: “The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No US Forces were harmed in this strike.”
According to Trump, the crew belonged to Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang that Washington designated as a terrorist organisation earlier this year. He repeated his administration’s claims that the group operates under the command of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — an accusation the government in Caracas has consistently denied.
The Pentagon has also withheld details, including how the attack was executed, what type of narcotics were onboard, or the scale of the suspected drug cargo.
The decision to destroy the vessel at sea rather than seize it and detain the crew is seen as highly unusual as it mirrors tactics more commonly associated with US strikes on militant groups.
The strike comes just days after the US dispatched additional naval forces to the region as part of Trump’s pledge to intensify pressure on international drug cartels. At least seven US warships and a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine are currently in or en route to the southern Caribbean, carrying more than 4,500 sailors and Marines, Reuters reported.
Tuesday’s operation appears to be the first major show of force in the waters since the recent development, signalling what could be the beginning of a more aggressive US military stance in the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, the US military has also been flying P-8 spy planes in the region and over international waters to gather intelligence, U.S. officials have said.
