The U.S. military carried out a lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel off the coast of Venezuela, killing four people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday. He said the action was carried out “on President Trump’s orders” as part of escalating pressure on the Venezuelan regime.
‘These Strikes Will Continue’
Hegseth stated that U.S. intelligence “without a doubt” confirmed the vessel was transporting large amounts of narcotics toward the U.S. “The people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route,” he wrote on social media. “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!”
Trump Declares Cartels Unlawful Combatants
The strike followed Trump’s declaration Wednesday that cartels are “unlawful combatants,” signaling that the U.S. is now in a “non-international armed conflict” with them. The Associated Press reported that Congress was notified of the decision, though some lawmakers criticized the Pentagon for not providing a full list of the designated terrorist organizations involved.
Rising Tensions with Venezuela
The operation is part of a series of U.S. military actions in the Caribbean targeting vessels allegedly tied to drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez accused the U.S. of “military harassment” after five American jets reportedly approached the country’s coastline on Thursday. “This is a great threat,” he said in a televised address, though he did not specify whether the government plans to respond.
For more on U.S. affairs with Venezuela, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.