US forces on Thursday struck another alleged drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean, killing three people, bringing the death toll in Washington’s controversial anti-drug campaign to at least 70, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
The United States began Carrying out such strikes – which experts say amounts to extrajudicial killing even if it targets known traffickers – in Early Septembertargeting ships in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
US strikes have destroyed at least 18 ships so far – 17 boats and alleged boats “Drug submarine” – But Washington has not yet announced any concrete evidence that its targets were drug smuggling or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth Aerial footage has been released on the X He added that the latest strike, which he said took place in international waters like previous attacks, targeted “a ship operated by a terrorist organization.”
The video showed a boat moving through the water before it exploded and caught fire.
Hegseth added that “three drug terrorists who were on board the ship were killed,” without any additional information.
“To all the drug terrorists who threaten our homeland: If you want to survive, stop drug trafficking. If you continue trafficking deadly drugs – we will kill you,” he wrote.
Defense Minister Pete Hegseth
Like some previous videos released by the US government, part of the boat has been blacked out for unspecified reasons.
President Donald Trump’s administration has mobilized large forces in Latin America in what it says is its campaign to eradicate drug trafficking.
So far, the Navy has deployed six ships to the Caribbean, and has fielded an F-35 stealth aircraft Military planes to Puerto RicoAnd he ordered USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft carrier strike group to the area.
Governments and families of those killed in US strikes said many of the dead were civilians – primarily Hunters.
President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Trump has repeatedly been accused of seeking to overthrow him.
When asked In an interview with “60 Minutes” last week, if “Maduro’s days were numbered,” Trump replied: “I would say yes. I think so, yes.”
Mr. Trump It was also confirmed last month That he authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela. Earlier this year, the Trump administration specific Several cartels are designated as terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua.
US bombers have also conducted shows of force near Venezuela, flying over the Caribbean Sea off the country’s coast on at least four occasions since mid-October.
Maduro – who has been indicted on drug charges in the United States – insists there is no drug cultivation in his country, which he says is used as a route to smuggle Colombian cocaine against its will.
The Trump administration said in a notice to Congress that the United States was engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels in Latin America, and described them as terrorist groups as part of its justification for the strikes.
The United Nations was established asked us to stop its campaign, as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the killings occurred “in circumstances that are unjustified under international law.”
Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed a small group of congressional leaders on Wednesday on the growing military campaign, offering one of the first high-level glimpses into the legal rationale and strategy behind the strikes.
Republicans appeared either silent or expressing confidence in the campaign. Democrats said Congress needs more information about how the strikes were carried out and the legal justification for actions that critics say violate international and US law by killing alleged drug traffickers on the high seas.
On Thursday, Senate Republicans They voted to reject the legislation That would have put an end to Trump’s ability to launch an attack on Venezuela, at a time when Democrats are pressing Congress to take a stronger role in Trump’s high-stakes campaign against Maduro.
In August, the Trump administration doubled the reward for Maduro $50 million reward To arrest him.