President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. military struck another alleged Venezuelan drug cartel vessel making its way to the United States.
The news comes after footage shared of a previous strike earlier in the month that the President said killed 11 suspected members of the Tren Aragua (TdA) narcoterrorist group.
Trump said three men were killed in the latest strike, which he says also occurred in international waters.
“This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.,” the President posted on Truth Social.
“BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU! The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!” the President added.
The strike on the alleged drug vessel comes amid the U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean. On Saturday, five U.S. F-35 aircraft were seen landing in Puerto Rico following orders from the administration for 10 of the aircraft to participate in the buildup. At least seven U.S. warships and one nuclear-powered submarine are also present in the region.
While the strikes this month have both occurred in international waters, Trump reported that operations could be carried out against suspected drug smugglers on land.
“When they come by land, we’re going to be stopping them the same way we stopped the boats… But maybe by talking about it a little bit, it won’t happen,” Trump said, per Reuters.
Just hours before Trump’s social media post about Monday’s attack, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said recent incidents constituted an “aggression” by the United States.