The United States has carried out another military strike in international waters, targeting a boat suspected of smuggling drugs from Venezuela. The attack left three people dead, President Donald Trump confirmed in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.
Trump announced that the operation was part of his ongoing offensive against violent drug cartels and narcoterrorists. “This morning, on my orders, US Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump wrote.
He claimed that the boat was transporting narcotics to the United States, describing the drugs as “a deadly weapon poisoning Americans.”
A user also posted a video related to this incident on Twitter (formerly X).
‼️US military has launched strike on another Venezuelan drug boat, President Trump announced today#usa #world #earth #truth #savethechildren #goodvsevil #CrimesAgainstHumanity #exposethetruth #Justice pic.twitter.com/52tsPbY90L
— LisaBhakti (@BhaktiLisa) September 15, 2025
Previous Strike Killed 11 Suspects
This strike follows a similar operation last month when US forces attacked another vessel suspected of links to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. That raid killed 11 people and heightened tensions in the Caribbean.
The latest strike comes amid a significant US naval build-up in the region, which has fueled speculation that Washington may be preparing for possible regime change in Venezuela.
Pentagon Stays Silent on Details
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has avoided giving specifics about the earlier attack. Earlier this month, he told reporters that the military had clear intelligence before acting. “We knew exactly who they were, exactly what they were doing, what they represented, and why they were going where they were going,” Hegseth said.
However, when pressed on how the US identified the suspects, he replied, “Why would I tell you that?” The lack of details has sparked debate over whether these strikes comply with international law or amount to extrajudicial killings. Despite these concerns, Trump insisted that the individuals killed were confirmed traffickers.
Venezuela Rejects US Claims
Venezuela has strongly denied that those killed in the previous strike were members of Tren de Aragua. Last week, the country’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, accused the US of unjustly killing innocent people.
“They openly confessed to killing 11 people. We have done our investigations here in our country, and there are the families of the disappeared people who want their relatives,” Cabello said. “When we asked in the towns, none were from Tren de Aragua, none were drug traffickers.”
Cabello condemned the attack, calling it an act of murder. “A murder has been committed against a group of citizens using lethal force,” he declared.
He also mocked the US claim of identifying cartel members, saying, “How did they identify them as members of the Tren de Aragua? Did they have, I don’t know, a chip? Did they have a QR code and [the US military] read it from above in the dark?”
Rising Regional Tensions
The strikes have escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas. The Venezuelan government is demanding accountability and evidence from the US, while American officials remain firm in defending their actions.
As the naval presence grows in the Caribbean, both countries appear to be bracing for further confrontations, leaving the region on edge and international observers closely watching what happens next.