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As stated by a senior defense official, the US armed forces carried out a fatal strike on a boat in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.

“A US joint task force conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was traveling along a established narco-trafficking route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. All four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no American forces were injured.”

Background and Prior Actions

This announcement comes a day after an announcement regarding a blockade of all targeted oil tankers to and from Venezuela. In that announcement on online platforms, the American leader accused Venezuela of using oil profits to fund narcotics smuggling and other crimes, pledging to escalate the military buildup.

Only on the previous day, the Pentagon stated it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of trafficking drugs in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Beginning on 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.

Administration Justifies Tactics Amidst Scrutiny

The administration has encountered growing demands to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. But, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has supported its campaign as a success, arguing it has prevented drugs from reaching US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the bounds of legal military action.

Although the administration has stated the campaign is about halting drugs destined for the US, comments from a senior aide appeared to suggest a broader political aim. In a recently published interview, the chief of staff said the president “aims to keep on blowing boats up until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”

This suggests the series of strikes may be part of a strategy to remove Venezuela's current government.