Hegseth Announces Strike on Suspected Drug-Trafficking Boat Near Venezuela

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday announced another US strike on a small boat off the coast of Venezuela, accusing it of carrying narcotics. He said the attack killed four men, describing them as “narco-terrorists,” but offered no details on their identities or cartel ties.

President Donald Trump echoed the claim in a social media post, saying the vessel was “loaded with enough drugs to kill 25 TO 50 THOUSAND PEOPLE” and suggesting it was approaching US territory.

The strike marks the fourth deadly US operation in the Caribbean since Trump declared drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations and ordered the Pentagon to treat traffickers as unlawful combatants. At least 21 people have been killed so far. A recently disclosed White House memo to Congress framed the effort as a “non-international armed conflict” under presidential war powers.

The campaign has divided Republicans. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch defended Trump’s authority, calling it a necessary defense against drugs that “kill thousands of Americans every year.” But Sen. Rand Paul denounced the strikes as unconstitutional, saying only Congress can authorize war. “Blowing them up without knowing who’s on the boat is a terrible policy, and it should end,” he said.

The attacks have sparked outrage in Latin America. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez condemned the “warlike aggression” and accused Washington of carrying out “summary extrajudicial executions.” President Nicolás Maduro vowed Venezuela would defend its sovereignty if forced into armed struggle. Colombian President Gustavo Petro went further, calling the US actions “murder” and insisting the victims were “poor Caribbean youth,” not cartel operatives.

Video of Friday’s strike circulating online shows the boat suddenly exploding in open waters, flames consuming the wreckage. Pentagon officials declined to identify which groups have been targeted, saying only that the vessels originated from Venezuela. The US Navy has maintained eight warships and over 5,000 personnel in the region during the operations.