The United States military has carried out a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, killing three people, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, Hegseth said the operation was conducted “at the direction of President Trump,” targeting a vessel “operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization.” He added that the vessel, which was allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking, was struck in international waters.
“No U.S. forces were harmed during the operation,” Hegseth confirmed.
U.S. officials said the strike forms part of a broader campaign that has resulted in 17 attacks since September 2, killing 70 people and destroying 18 boats. Only three individuals are reported to have survived the earlier strikes—two were detained and later repatriated, while one remains missing and is presumed dead.
The Trump administration has informed Congress that the campaign constitutes an “armed conflict” against drug cartels, labeling those targeted as “unlawful combatants.” This designation, it argues, permits military strikes without judicial review, based on a classified opinion from the Department of Justice.
However, the policy has drawn criticism from lawmakers and human rights groups, who insist that suspected traffickers should face prosecution rather than extrajudicial killings. They also note the lack of publicly available evidence linking the targeted vessels directly to drug cartels.
U.S. officials have sought to link Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to the regional drug trade while simultaneously expanding America’s military presence near Venezuela.
Despite the escalation, Washington maintains that it has no plans for strikes within Venezuelan territory, and that current legal authorizations apply only to maritime operations.
