Washington (BN24) – The United States conducted a strike on a boat off the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday, killing six suspected drug traffickers, President Donald Trump said, marking the latest in a series of aggressive operations targeting narcoterrorist networks in the region.
Trump announced the strike in a post on Truth Social, calling the targeted vessel part of a “designated terrorist organization.” He did not identify the group or provide specific details about the mission.
“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks,” Trump said. He offered no supporting evidence for the claim.
A 30-second video posted by Trump appeared to show a stationary vessel in open water being struck by a projectile and erupting in a fiery explosion.
The operation reflects Trump’s growing use of U.S. military power in unconventional ways, including deploying active-duty troops in Los Angeles and launching counter-terrorism missions against suspected drug traffickers. The strike off Venezuela is the latest escalation in what Trump has described as a campaign to disrupt criminal organizations operating across international waters.
U.S. officials have not yet released additional information about the identities of those killed or the specific legal authority used to conduct the strike. The incident underscores the increasingly blurred line between counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics operations under Trump’s leadership.
