U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a “lethal” strike against a vessel in international waters near Venezuela, claiming it was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics. “Earlier this morning, on President Trump’s orders, I directed a lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Hegseth stated. He reported that four male individuals aboard the vessel were killed, with no U.S. forces harmed during the operation.
Hegseth described the strike as targeting a ship “transporting substantial amounts of narcotics” headed to America. He emphasized that intelligence confirmed the vessel’s involvement in drug trafficking and its alignment with known narco-trafficking routes. “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over,” he declared. Footage of the operation was shared by Hegseth, while President Donald Trump asserted on social media that the vessel carried enough drugs to harm 25,000 to 50,000 people and implied it was “entering American Territory” near Venezuela.
This marks the fourth deadly strike in the Caribbean, following reports that Trump informed lawmakers he classified drug traffickers as unlawful combatants, justifying military action. A White House memo stated the U.S. is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels, citing constitutional authority to protect national interests. The administration’s actions have drawn scrutiny over potential expansion of presidential war powers without congressional approval.
Recent operations include three prior strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, with at least three targeting Venezuelan-origin ships. U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean have significantly increased, featuring eight warships and over 5,000 personnel. Venezuela condemned the strike as an “illegal incursion,” accusing the U.S. of threatening its sovereignty after fighter jets were detected near its shores. The Venezuelan government alleged the aircraft operated within 75 kilometers of its territory, though it did not confirm airspace violations.