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As stated by a high-ranking military official, the US armed forces executed a fatal strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, resulting in the deaths of four people.

“A US joint task force carried out a deadly attack on a craft linked to a Designated Terrorist Organization in open sea. Surveillance verified the vessel was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. A total of four male narco-terrorists were killed, and no US military forces were harmed.”

Background and Prior Actions

This announcement comes a day after an announcement regarding a naval blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. In that announcement on social media, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund drug trafficking and criminal activities, vowing to increase the military buildup.

Just on the previous day, US defense officials stated it had carried out strikes on three boats suspected of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 strikes have killed at least 99 people, the majority off the coast of Venezuela.

Government Justifies Tactics Amidst Pressure

The administration has faced growing pressure to make public video of a September 2nd vessel attack. However, officials have refused to do so. The administration has supported its efforts as a success, arguing it has stopped drugs from entering US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the limits of lawful warfare.

While the administration has stated the operation is about halting drugs destined for the US, remarks from a senior aide appeared to suggest a wider geopolitical objective. In a recently published interview, the senior advisor remarked the leader “wants to keep on destroying vessels until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”

This suggests the series of strikes may be part of a strategy to oust Venezuela's sitting leadership.