Fri Nov 07 05:36:47 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Military Continues Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Vessels in Caribbean Sea

Washington D.C. – The United States military has conducted another deadly strike against a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In a post on X, Hegseth stated the attack, carried out under the direction of President Donald Trump, targeted a “vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization” and resulted in the deaths of three individuals. A video clip, marked unclassified, showed the boat exploding after being struck by a munition.

Hegseth, who provided no evidence linking the vessel to drug smuggling, asserted that such attacks would continue until “narco-terrorists” cease “poisoning” the American people. “To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: If you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs – we will kill you,” he declared.

Since early September, over 60 people have been killed in U.S. strikes on at least 18 vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. The attacks have drawn condemnation from United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk, who labeled them “extrajudicial killings.”

U.S. lawmakers, including Democrats and some senior Republicans, have demanded clarity from the Trump administration regarding the legal justification for these deadly attacks in international waters. The administration has yet to provide substantial evidence supporting its claims that the targeted vessels are involved in drug trafficking.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused Trump of using the “war on drugs” as a pretext to destabilize his government and orchestrate a regime change. Maduro alleges that the recent military buildup of U.S. naval forces in the region is part of this effort.

A resolution aimed at requiring congressional authorization for a U.S. attack on Venezuela was recently rejected by Senate Republicans. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, the resolution’s sponsor, argued that the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean is primarily focused on potential regime change in Venezuela, rather than solely combating drug trafficking. He warned of the risk of U.S. involvement in a war and emphasized the need for Congressional input.

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