President Donald Trump announced Monday that U.S. military forces have carried out a second kinetic strike in the Caribbean region against another vessel from Venezuela allegedly loaded with drugs.
According to his message on the social network Truth Social, this new operation, ordered by himself, was directed against drug cartels and narcoterrorists “positively identified” in the area of responsibility of the Southern Command.
“This morning, at my direction, U.S. military forces conducted a SECOND kinetic strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug cartels and narco-terrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The strike occurred while these narco-terrorists, emanating from Venezuela, were in international waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON THAT POISONS AMERICANS!) bound for the U.S.,” the President stated.
These extremely violent drug cartels," he said,"POSE A THREAT to the national security, foreign policy, and vital interests of the United States.The attack resulted in 3 male terrorists killed in action. No U.S. forces were harmed in this operation. WARNING — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU."
Trump's announcement comes after the US administration reported on September 2 of a first attack in this same area in which the US destroyed a Venezuelan boat carrying alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, leaving 11 dead.
The bombing sparked some controversy in the U.S. and the region over the use of lethal force in international waters and the legal authorization used to justify the attack.
With this second attack, the administration reaffirms its policy of using all means at its disposal, including bombing, to combat drug trafficking. It also falls within a rhetorical escalation against the Nicolás Maduro regime, which began more than a month ago with the dispatch of more than eight warships, combat aircraft, and thousands of marines to waters near Venezuela.
US Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart shared the video of the exact moment of the attack on the social network X with the message:"Drug traffickers, especially cartel leaders, should know that Donald Trump is serious about stopping the trafficking of illegal drugs into the United States."
