President Donald Trump confirmed that a US military strike in the southern Caribbean targeted a vessel allegedly transporting illegal narcotics from Venezuela, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals. The operation, which Trump described as taking place in international waters, marked a significant escalation in his administration’s crackdown on drug cartels.
“We just shot out a drug-carrying boat—lots of drugs in that boat,” Trump stated during a press briefing, adding that no US forces were harmed. He identified the individuals killed as members of the Venezuelan gang _Tren de Aragua_, which the US designated as a terrorist organization earlier this year.
The strike, captured in a video Trump shared on his Truth Social platform, showed a speedboat engulfed in flames after being hit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested the drugs on board were likely destined for the Caribbean or the US.
The Venezuelan government, however, has pushed back, with officials denying the gang’s activity and accusing the US of using drug-trafficking claims as a pretext for aggression against President Nicolas Maduro’s administration. Tensions between the two nations have been further fueled by the US offering a $50 million reward for Maduro’s arrest on drug-related charges.
Share this:
