The United States carried out a deadly strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking near Venezuela. Four men were killed in what officials say is part of an intensified military campaign against narcotics networks targeting the U.S. population.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the operation targeted a boat “affiliated with designated terrorist organizations.” He said the vessel was transporting “substantial amounts of narcotics headed to America to poison our people.”
The strike took place in international waters. Hegseth said the mission was based on intelligence that “without a doubt” confirmed the vessel’s involvement in drug trafficking.
“These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!” Hegseth wrote on X. He added that the individuals killed were “narco-terrorists” operating along a known trafficking route.
A video shared by Hegseth showed projectiles striking the vessel and surrounding waters. The boat exploded on impact.
The White House said the vessel was carrying enough drugs to kill between 25,000 and 50,000 people. President Donald Trump echoed that message during a speech earlier this week at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. He warned drug cartels that they would face devastating consequences if they attempted to smuggle narcotics into the United States.
“If you try to poison our people, we will blow you out of existence,” Trump said. “That’s the only language they really understand. That’s why you don’t see any more boats on the ocean.”
Friday’s operation marks at least the fifth U.S. strike against suspected narco-trafficking vessels since Sept. 2. Officials say 24 alleged traffickers have been killed in these missions so far.
The Pentagon has also notified Congress that Trump has determined the United States is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels. That legal designation is being used to justify the use of military force rather than law enforcement action.
Historically, maritime counter-narcotics operations have been conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard. But under Trump’s direction, the military has taken a more direct role. The southern Caribbean is now seeing a significant U.S. buildup. There are eight warships, thousands of personnel, and a nuclear-powered submarine in the region. F-35 aircraft have also been stationed in Puerto Rico.
Some former military lawyers have raised questions about the legality of targeting suspected traffickers with lethal force at sea. They argue that suspects should be apprehended rather than killed. The administration has released few details about previous strikes. It has not revealed the identities of those killed or specifics about the seized cargo.
Venezuela’s government has not yet commented on the latest strike. President Nicolás Maduro has long accused Washington of trying to overthrow him. The U.S. denies those allegations. Washington recently doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. Officials accuse him of ties to drug cartels, a charge he rejects.
The Trump administration has vowed that the campaign against cartels will not be limited to the sea. Officials say they are also considering operations against drug smuggling routes by land. That would signal a potential expansion of the conflict beyond maritime targets.