The United States conducted another operation targeting a small boat suspected of carrying drugs in the waters near Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, according to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday.
The casualties were all onboard the vessel, with no injuries reported among U.S. personnel, as confirmed by the President in a post on a social media platform.
This incident marks the fifth lethal strike in the Caribbean region, as the Trump administration asserts its approach of considering alleged drug traffickers as illegal combatants subject to military action.
President Trump disclosed that the strike was authorized by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier that day, with footage of the operation being shared by both Trump and Hegseth on their respective social media accounts.
The video footage displayed a small boat stationary on the water, subsequently being hit by a projectile from above, leading to an explosion and the boat being engulfed in flames momentarily.
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Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters.
President Trump emphasized that the strike occurred in international waters and was based on intelligence confirming the vessel’s involvement in narcotics trafficking, affiliation with “narcoterrorist networks,” and operating along a known drug-trafficking path.
While the Pentagon did not immediately respond to queries seeking additional details on the recent boat strike, a defense official corroborated the information shared on social media on the condition of anonymity.
Growing Concern among Lawmakers
Former diplomat James Story expressed concerns that such operations could impede counter-narcotics efforts by alienating key allies like Colombia and hampering intelligence gathering crucial for combating drug trafficking organizations.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, from both political parties, have been increasingly critical of the Trump administration. Republicans are demanding clarification on the legal justification and specifics of the strikes, while Democrats argue that these actions violate domestic and international laws.
Despite a recent war powers resolution vote in the U.S. Senate that aimed to restrict the administration’s authority to conduct such strikes without explicit congressional approval, the resolution did not pass.
In a communication to Congress obtained by The Associated Press, the administration asserted a non-international armed conflict with designated terrorist groups, authorizing military operations in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.
However, the administration has yet to present substantial evidence to lawmakers supporting the claims that the targeted boats were indeed carrying illicit substances, according to unnamed U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
These strikes followed a notable increase in U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean, prompting Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino to accuse