President Donald Trump on Monday said the American military has once again carried out a deadly strike in international waters on a boat allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela. In a post on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns, Trump revealed that the latest strike took place on Monday and resulted in the deaths of three individuals aboard the vessel.
“This morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narco-terrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump wrote.
“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narco-terrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the US,” he further said while claiming that the strike killed three men and that no American personnel were harmed.
Strike Follows Earlier Deadly Operation
Monday’s development marks the second such incident in just two weeks. The previous strike, which was also announced by Trump, reportedly killed 11 people and was linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. That action, too, had sparked controversy and raised questions about legality and oversight.
While Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the strikes, saying the military has “the absolute and complete authority” to act, he has provided little detail on the intelligence that led to the operations.
Responding to a question on how officials confirmed the targets’ identities, Hegseth responded, saying at the time, “Why would I tell you that?”
Pushback Over Legality and Transparency
The Pentagon has not yet confirmed Monday’s strike. Last week, the US media reported that Defense Department officials couldn’t conclusively prove that those killed in the first attack were cartel members or posed an imminent threat.
“There is no evidence – none – that this strike was conducted in self-defense. That matters, because under both domestic and international law, the US military simply does not have the authority to use lethal force against a civilian vessel unless acting in self-defense,” Senator Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at the time, according to CNN.
Regional Tensions Rising
Meanwhile, the US has increased its military presence in the region, deploying F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico and the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group to the Caribbean, as reported by CNN. Venezuela, for its part, has called for de-escalation.
“We are not betting on conflict, nor do we want conflict,“ Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil reportedly said last week.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, hinted that more strikes may be coming, saying the US is prepared to “wage combat against drug cartels” threatening American lives.
ALSO READ: US-China Talks: Framework Deal on TikTok Ownership Reached – Key Points
