The United States Department of War has conducted a lethal strike on a vessel allegedly operated by a designated terrorist organization, under the directive of President Donald Trump.
According to Pete Hegseth, who announced the operation on X, the targeted vessel was reportedly transporting narcotics through the Caribbean and was hit in international waters. He confirmed that no American personnel were harmed during the operation.
U.S. officials disclosed that the strike forms part of a broader campaign launched on September 2, which has so far killed 70 people in 17 separate attacks and destroyed 18 vessels. Only three individuals are known to have survived earlier strikes—two of whom were detained briefly before being released to their home countries, while the third is presumed dead following a search conducted by the Mexican Navy.
The Trump administration has described the ongoing campaign as an “armed conflict” against drug cartels, classifying those killed as “unlawful combatants.” This classification, according to officials, allows the U.S. to carry out strikes without judicial review, relying on a classified legal opinion from the Department of Justice.
However, several lawmakers and human rights organizations have raised concerns about the policy, arguing that suspected traffickers should face prosecution instead of targeted killings. They also criticized the administration’s failure to publicly present concrete evidence linking the attacked vessels to drug cartels.
Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have sought to connect Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to international drug trafficking while reinforcing military presence near Venezuela. Despite this, officials insist that there are no current plans to conduct strikes within Venezuelan territory, noting that the legal authorizations for maritime operations do not apply to land-based targets.
