Sat Sep 20 00:06:11 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**U.S. President Trump Claims Another Strike on Alleged Drug Vessel, Raising Legal Concerns**
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Friday that American forces carried out a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, claiming it was trafficking illicit narcotics. According to Trump, the strike resulted in the deaths of three individuals identified as “narcoterrorists.”
This marks the third such strike this month, with the previous two targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels originating in Venezuela. In a prior incident, Trump claimed a strike killed 11 people connected to the Tren de Aragua gang, while another strike reportedly killed three individuals linked to Venezuelan drug cartels.
Trump stated that the latest vessel was “transiting along a known narcotrafficking passage en route to poison Americans.” He shared aerial footage of the strike on his Truth Social platform, showing a projectile hitting the vessel, which subsequently caught fire.
These actions have drawn criticism from lawmakers and human rights organizations. Concerns are mounting over whether these strikes violate international law and the due process rights of the individuals targeted. Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that “US officials cannot summarily kill people they accuse of smuggling drugs.”
Adding to the tension, the Venezuelan government accused the U.S. military of “direct provocation” after intercepting a Venezuelan fishing boat within its exclusive economic zone earlier this month.
These incidents have further strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, particularly amidst the Trump administration’s ongoing pressure campaign against President Nicolas Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has labeled Maduro a “direct threat” to U.S. national security, citing alleged ties to drug trafficking.
Recent reports also suggest that the Trump administration considered deploying F-35 fighter jets to target drug trafficking groups within Venezuela. Military presence in the southern Caribbean has been bolstered, including the deployment of warships and a nuclear-powered submarine.
President Maduro has accused the U.S. of attempting “violent regime change” in Venezuela and Latin America, urging respect for sovereignty and independence.
First Piper 