Six people have been killed after a US missile strike targeted a vessel off the coast of Venezuela, the latest in a series of military operations ordered by President Donald Trump against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean.
The US claims the boat was linked to “narcoterrorist networks” and carrying narcotics through a known smuggling corridor.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, saying intelligence officials had verified that the vessel was operating as part of an illegal trafficking route. He shared an aerial video showing a missile hitting a small boat, which immediately exploded upon impact. The president added that no American troops were injured in the operation.
This marks the fifth similar strike since September, with a total of 27 deaths reported from the US-led operations.
The administration has provided little public information about the identities of the vessels or the people killed, prompting growing criticism from regional governments and international law experts.
A recent leaked memo to Congress revealed that the Trump administration has classified these operations as part of a “non-international armed conflict” against drug cartels.
This classification could allow the US to exercise expanded wartime powers, including lethal force against individuals not directly engaged in combat.
The approach has drawn condemnation from neighbouring countries such as Colombia and Venezuela, which have accused Washington of overstepping its jurisdiction and breaching international law.
Legal analysts have also questioned whether the US has legitimate grounds to claim self-defence in these maritime operations.
Observers believe the intensified strikes are intended to increase political and military pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who remains accused by the US of drug trafficking and corruption.
Washington has offered a $50 million reward for his arrest, though Maduro has strongly denied any involvement in the drug trade.
Venezuela’s government has dismissed Trump’s claims, accusing the US of fabricating evidence and using the fight against narcotics as an excuse for aggression.
Officials in Caracas have also questioned the authenticity of the video footage shared by Trump, calling it a “manufactured justification for unlawful military action.”