The United States killed four people in a strike against a vessel allegedly carrying illegal drugs just off the coast of Venezuela, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday, at least the fourth such attack in recent weeks.

The strike is the latest example of U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to use U.S. military power in new, and often legally contentious, ways, from deploying active-duty U.S. troops in Los Angeles, to carrying out counter-terrorism strikes against drug trafficking suspects.

Hegseth said Friday's strike was carried out in international waters and that all of the people killed were men. He said the vessel was transporting "substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people."

"These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!," Hegseth said in a post on X.

In a nearly 40-second video shared by Hegseth, a vessel can be seen moving through the water before a web of projectiles fall on the boat and the surrounding water, causing the boat to explode on impact.

Hegseth said, without providing evidence, that the intelligence "without a doubt" confirmed that the vessel was carrying drugs and that the people on board were "narco-terrorists."

He did not disclose the amount or type of the alleged drugs on board the vessel.

Trump, also without providing evidence, said the boat had enough drugs to kill 25,000 to 50,000 people.

The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

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