US forces have killed four people in an attack on a boat off the coast of Venezuela that was allegedly trafficking drugs, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says. The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people, Hegseth wrote in a post on X.
This is the latest in a number of recent deadly strikes that the US has carried out on boats in international waters it says are involved in narco-trafficking. The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing them as a breach of international law.
Hegseth said the attack took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, which covers most of South America and the Caribbean. Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route, he stated about Friday's attack.
These operations are framed as self-defense by the US, though many legal experts question their legality. President Trump has also confirmed the strike, indicating the vessel was carrying enough drugs to kill 25 to 50 thousand people.
There was no immediate response from Venezuela, but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes, asserting that his country will defend itself against US aggression. This incident marks the fourth US strike in a month against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
This is the latest in a number of recent deadly strikes that the US has carried out on boats in international waters it says are involved in narco-trafficking. The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing them as a breach of international law.
Hegseth said the attack took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, which covers most of South America and the Caribbean. Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route, he stated about Friday's attack.
These operations are framed as self-defense by the US, though many legal experts question their legality. President Trump has also confirmed the strike, indicating the vessel was carrying enough drugs to kill 25 to 50 thousand people.
There was no immediate response from Venezuela, but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes, asserting that his country will defend itself against US aggression. This incident marks the fourth US strike in a month against vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
