The announcement was made on social media by the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth
Hegseth warned on social network X that this type of military operation "will continue until attacks against the American people end."
In the video released along with the message, a speedboat can be seen in open sea, followed by an explosion that covers it in smoke and fire. After the detonation, the vessel remains afloat, consumed by flames.
This attack comes less than 24 hours after it became known that President Donald Trump declared drug cartels as "unlawful combatants" and reported that the United States is in a "non-international armed conflict" against these organizations, according to a statement addressed to Congress and released by various media outlets.
The official report from the Department of Defense indicates that this recent attack brings to four the number of vessels destroyed by U.S. forces in recent weeks, with at least 21 narco-terrorists killed.
A drug traffickers' vessel transporting illegal drugs was destroyed this Friday by United States forces in international waters, off the coast of Venezuela, according to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth.
The operation resulted in the deaths of four criminals, who were members of organizations dedicated to drug trafficking. Hegseth stated on social network X that this constitutes the fourth operation of this kind in recent weeks, as part of the so-called "non-international armed conflict" against drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
In his message, Hegseth stated: "This morning, by order of President Donald Trump, I directed a lethal kinetic strike against a drug trafficking vessel affiliated with organizations designated as terrorist in the area of responsibility of U.S. Southern Command. Four male narco-terrorists on board died in the attack and no U.S. service members were injured."
"The operation was carried out in international waters, near the coast of Venezuela, while the vessel was transporting significant quantities of narcotics, destined for the United States to, in his words, 'poison our people'," he added.-
The Secretary of War added that "Intelligence, without any doubt, confirmed that this vessel was dedicated to drug trafficking, that the people on board were narco-terrorists, and that they were operating on a maritime route known for drug transit."
