US, Oct 15 : The US military conducted a strike on a vessel involved in narcotrafficking in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela, killing six men aboard, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social.
According to Trump, US intelligence confirmed that the vessel was traveling along a known route associated with illicit narcoterrorist networks. This operation brings the total death toll to 27 in a series of US military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels near Venezuela since September, according to Xinhua news agency.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration notified Congress that the United States is engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels designated as terrorist organizations, and that their members will be treated as unlawful combatants. The memo did not specify which cartels are targeted or the criteria used to determine whether an individual qualifies for such action.
The strikes have drawn criticism from Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of using cartel threats as a pretext for regime change and expanding its military presence in Latin America.
Venezuela’s defence and foreign ministries condemned the operation, stating that US combat aircraft were detected near Venezuelan waters on October 2, 2025, approximately 75 kilometers from the coast. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil described the incursion as a provocation that threatens national sovereignty, violates international law, and breaches the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
The latest strike underscores growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela over anti-narcotics operations and sovereignty concerns, as both nations continue to clash diplomatically over US military actions in the region.