US President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that American forces destroyed a Venezuelan vessel allegedly transporting narcotics toward the United States, killing three men on board. The strike, conducted in international waters, marks the second such operation in recent weeks amid an expanded US military buildup in the southern Caribbean.
Trump announced the action on Truth Social, calling it a “kinetic strike” against “extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists.” He insisted that cocaine and fentanyl were found floating in the water, though no independent evidence has yet been provided. A video released by Trump showed a boat exploding at sea, but Reuters said verification remains incomplete.
The operation comes as Washington deploys F-35 jets, warships, and a nuclear submarine to the region. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the buildup as a “front line” counter-narcotics mission, vowing to dismantle networks “throughout our hemisphere.” Trump has even floated operations against smugglers on land and announced plans to rename the Pentagon as the “Department of War,” pending Congressional approval.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the strikes as “aggression” and denied links to the cartels. Caracas argues that the victims were not cartel members and accuses Washington of seeking regime change. Critics in the US Congress are demanding legal justification, questioning the constitutionality of such strikes without Congressional approval.
