In a recent military action, the US targeted a boat in the Caribbean, resulting in the death of three people, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
“The directive came from President Trump, guiding the Department of War to execute a lethal strike on a vessel linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Hegseth stated in a tweet. He added, “This vessel was involved in trafficking drugs in the Caribbean and was hit while in international waters.”
Hegseth assured that no US personnel were harmed during the operation.
To date, the military has conducted 17 strikes resulting in the deaths of 70 individuals and the destruction of 18 boats, all part of what the US views as an effort to reduce the flow of narcotics into the country. Out of these strikes, three survivors were identified, with two briefly detained by the US Navy and returned to their respective nations. The fate of the third individual remains uncertain as they are presumed dead following search efforts by the Mexican Navy.
The Trump administration informed Congress that the US is currently in an “armed conflict” against drug cartels, marking the conflict’s start with an initial strike on September 2. Those killed in the operations have been labeled as “unlawful combatants,” and the administration claims the right to conduct lethal operations without judicial oversight, backed by a classified finding from the Department of Justice.
This stance has raised concerns among some congressional members and human rights organizations, who argue that suspected drug traffickers ought to be prosecuted, echoing past policies established before Trump took office.
Notably, the administration has faced criticism for not presenting public evidence tying the targeted boats to drug traffickers or cartels.
The Trump administration appears to be intensifying efforts to connect Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with the drug trade while bolstering military presence near the capital, Caracas—even though Venezuela isn’t considered a leading supplier of cocaine to the US.
During a recent briefing for lawmakers, officials clarified that no current plans exist to initiate strikes within Venezuela, nor is there legal justification for attacking any land targets in the country. This information was shared by multiple sources after the meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Hegseth, and a representative from the White House’s Office of Legal Counsel.
Furthermore, according to the four sources, the opinion provided by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, meant to justify strikes on suspected drug vessels, does not authorize actions against targets within Venezuela or other neighboring territories. The initial “execute order” that initiated the military operation against suspected drug boats in September does not cover land-based targets either, although officials did not dismiss potential future actions entirely.
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