The United States military has conducted another deadly operation in Caribbean waters, resulting in three fatalities and pushing the total death count from its ongoing campaign to at least 70 victims.
Latest Strike Details Confirmed
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth revealed on Thursday that American forces executed what he described as a "lethal kinetic strike" against a vessel operating in international waters. The operation was carried out under direct orders from President Trump.
According to Hegseth's statement on social media platform X, the targeted boat was "trafficking narcotics" and belonged to a Designated Terrorist Organization. He confirmed that no US military personnel suffered injuries during the engagement.
Escalating Campaign Against Cartels
This recent action marks the 17th strike since the controversial campaign launched on September 2. Washington maintains that these operations aim to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs entering the United States.
The Trump administration has significantly intensified its anti-narcotics strategy by formally notifying Congress that America is now engaged in an "armed conflict" against drug cartels. This critical reclassification allows the government to designate those killed as "unlawful combatants" and conduct lethal strikes without judicial oversight.
Administration officials justify this approach by arguing that drug cartels represent "nonstate armed groups" whose activities constitute an "armed attack against the United States." They point to the tens of thousands of American citizens who die annually from drug-related causes as evidence of this threat.
Legal Challenges and International Criticism
The military campaign operates under the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), which permits targeting vessels as legitimate military objectives, similar to previous US treatment of Al-Qaeda targets.
However, this strategy faces mounting opposition from various quarters. Congressional members and legal experts challenge the administration's determination, arguing that drug trafficking doesn't equate to an armed attack and falls outside recognized armed conflict parameters.
United Nations human rights officials have condemned the operations as extrajudicial killings, insisting that suspected drug traffickers should face prosecution through proper legal channels rather than military action.
Critics also note the administration has not publicly presented evidence of narcotics found on the targeted boats or proven their direct connections to designated drug cartels.
Of the individuals targeted in the 17 strikes conducted so far, only three are known to have survived. Two were detained and repatriated to their home countries, while the third is presumed dead.
The campaign continues amid administration efforts to link Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to international drug trafficking. Despite significant military buildup near Caracas, officials have assured lawmakers they currently have no plans to launch strikes within Venezuela or against land targets.
Justice Department legal opinions and the campaign's execute order remain strictly limited to maritime targets, explicitly excluding operations within Venezuelan territory.
