2025-10-14 20:22
publication
2025-10-14 20:22
US President Donald Trump announced that American forces on Tuesday carried out an attack on a boat off the coast of Venezuela, which, according to intelligence, was smuggling drugs. Six people were killed, whom Trump called “drug terrorists.”
Trump reported on Truth Social that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Tuesday morning ordered a “lethal kinetic attack” on a boat associated with an organization considered terrorist. The ship was supposed to smuggle drugs within the area of responsibility of USSOUTHCOM, i.e. the US Southern Command, off the coast of Venezuela.
“Intelligence confirmed that the boat was smuggling drugs, was associated with illegal drug terrorist networks, and was traveling along a known route (used by) a terrorist organization,” Trump's tweet reads.
The president said that the attack was carried out in international waters and that six “drug terrorists” on board were killed. No US officials were injured, Trump said.
This is the fifth U.S. strike on a boat suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea recently. According to data provided by the authorities, 21 people died.
These attacks raise controversy and accusations of war crimes, as well as doubts whether their victims are actually members of criminal groups.
As the media reported earlier this month, the White House notified Congress that President Trump has officially recognized that the United States is engaged in a non-international armed conflict. In the memo, the administration described drug cartels as terrorist organizations and called smugglers “illegal combatants.”
From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)
Sun/ mms/
