President Donald Trump says the US has carried out a strike against a drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean, killing 11 'Narcoterrorists'.
He posted on social media that Tuesday's US military operation had targeted members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Trump said the vessel was in international waters and was transporting illegal narcotics bound for the US. The Trump administration has ratcheted up military and political pressure against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in recent weeks, including through a $50m (£37m) reward for information leading to his arrest on drug-trafficking charges. Maduro has vowed Venezuela would fight any attempted US military intervention.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump stated that US forces had 'shot out' a 'drug-carrying boat' near Venezuela. 'A lot of drugs in that boat,' he mentioned.
Trump added he had been briefed on the incident by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine. He later posted, 'Earlier this morning, on my Orders, US Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists.'
Accompanying his post was a grainy aerial video depicting a motorboat speeding before it bursts into flames.
In response, Venezuela's Communications Minister, Freddy Nanez, suggested that the video was artificially created, although no evidence supports this claim.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the strike on his social media, indicating it targeted a vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization. However, the specific drugs involved remain unclear.
Since returning to the White House, the Trump administration has designated major drug-trafficking organizations, including Tren de Aragua and the 'Cartel of the Suns,' linked to Maduro and other high-ranking officials.
The US military has strengthened its forces in the southern Caribbean, deploying additional naval resources and thousands of Marines and sailors. The administration has shown a willingness to use military force to combat drug trafficking into the US.
'There's more where that came from,' Trump warned regarding the recent strike. Conversely, Maduro expressed intentions to resist US military actions, claiming they represent a significant threat.
