U.S. conducts strike on alleged Venezuelan drug vessel, killing three

The U.S. military carried out a strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking vessel in international waters on Monday, killing three people, President Donald Trump announced.

Trump described the action as a “second kinetic strike” in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility against “positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists,” posting the announcement on Truth Social.

U.S. officials said the boat was carrying narcotics bound for the country. Three men were killed, and no U.S. forces were harmed.

The latest operation follows an earlier strike on 2 September in which 11 members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua were killed. That vessel was also transporting illegal narcotics destined for the U.S. according to the United States, and is part of a broader effort to curb organised crime networks operating from Venezuela.

President Trump suggested the campaign could expand beyond the Caribbean.

''That means there's no drugs coming by sea. But they do come by land," Trump said. "And you know what? We're telling the cartels right now we're going to be stopping them, too, when they come by land. We're going to be stopping them the same way we stopped the boats.''

Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that both strikes targeted designated narco-terrorist organisations, underscoring the U.S. commitment to stopping drugs from reaching American communities. The Trump administration has significantly increased its military presence in the southern Caribbean in recent months, deploying additional naval vessels and troops to intercept trafficking operations.

The U.S. stressed that its operations were conducted entirely in international waters. However, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the strikes, warning of a potential armed response. 

"Today, I can announce that communications with the U.S. government are severed. They are severed by them, with their threats of bombs, death, and blackmail. We do not operate under threats," Maduro said.

"With intimidation, there will never be anything, and they know it. So, they have moved from a stage of strained communication to none at all, and history will continue," he added.

The strikes have drawn scrutiny over their legality, with critics questioning whether lethal force against suspected traffickers without trial is lawful. Supporters argue the operations are necessary to counter decades of drug-related harm in the United States.

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