As stated by a high-ranking military official, the US armed forces carried out a fatal strike on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing four individuals.
“Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no US military forces were injured.”
Background and Prior Actions
This announcement follows a day after a declaration regarding a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. In that announcement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes, pledging to escalate the military presence.
Only on Tuesday, the Pentagon said it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 individuals, most off the coast of Venezuela.
Administration Justifies Actions Amid Pressure
The administration has encountered growing demands to release video of a September 2nd vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have refused to do so. The administration has supported its efforts as a success, arguing it has stopped drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the limits of legal military action.
Although the administration has stated the operation is about stopping drugs destined for the US, comments from a top official seemed to confirm a wider geopolitical aim. In a recently published interview, the senior advisor said the leader “aims to keep on destroying vessels until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”
This indicates the military campaign may be part of a push to oust Venezuela's sitting government.
