In brief
In an escalating campaign against drug trafficking, US forces have killed four individuals in an airstrike on a vessel off the Venezuelan coast. The US Department of Defense claims the vessel was involved in transporting significant quantities of narcotics intended for the American market. This operation is part of a series of strikes that have drawn criticism for potential violations of international law, particularly from nations like Venezuela and Colombia.
US forces have killed four people in an attack on a boat off the coast of Venezuela that was allegedly trafficking drugs, Defense 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.
It 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 the strikes 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, Hegseth said about Friday's attack.
US President Trump also confirmed the strike on his Truth Social platform, saying that the boat was carrying enough drugs to kill 25 to 50 thousand people. However, the US has not provided evidence for its claims or any information about the identities of those on board.
There was no immediate response from Venezuela but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes and said his country will defend itself against US aggression.
Friday's fatal attack is the fourth by the US in a month. Trump has previously referenced other strikes that resulted in multiple fatalities, indicating a significant ramp-up in military operations.
This operation raises questions about the legality and ethics of such strikes, as many view these as potentially breaching international laws regarding sovereignty and due process.
