U.S. alleged night strike hits suspected drug vessel in Caribbean, killing six

The U.S. allegedly carried out its first night strike of a regional counter-drug campaign in the Caribbean, killing six suspected "narco-terrorists" on a vessel linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that an alleged U.S. strike in the Caribbean targeted a suspected drug vessel operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, resulting in six deaths. In a post on X, he shared a roughly 20-second video appearing to show a boat at sea being struck by at least one projectile before exploding. No independent evidence of what the vessel carried has been provided.

Hegseth said the operation was allegedly the first conducted at night since the counter-drug campaign began in September. The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s statement on Thursday that his administration would brief Congress on operations against drug cartels. Trump said he does not need a declaration of “war” to act and hinted that land-based operations could follow.

The U.S. military has increased its presence across the Caribbean, deploying guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear-powered submarine and thousands of troops. Including the latest alleged strike, the United States has carried out 10 operations against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, reportedly killing nearly 40 people. The Pentagon has released little detail but confirmed that some incidents occurred near Venezuela.

The actions have raised legal concerns, with some experts and Democratic lawmakers questioning whether they align with international law. Last week, Reuters reported that two alleged traffickers who survived a U.S. military strike in the Caribbean were rescued by a U.S. Navy ship and later repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of attempting to remove him from power. In August, the U.S. doubled its reward to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, alleging ties to drug trafficking and criminal networks, which he denies.

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