The US military on Tuesday struck what it described as a “convoy” of three boats taking part in the trafficking of narcotics — the latest salvo in the United States’ escalating actions in opposition to what it says are drug traffickers.
Officials mentioned three individuals have been killed in one of many focused vessels, whereas the remaining individuals on the opposite two vessels deserted ship, based on an announcement from US Southern Command posted to X on Wednesday.
It’s additionally unclear the place the strikes occurred. The military solely described them as going down in “international waters.” Previous strikes have taken place in each the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
It’s additionally unclear the place the strikes occurred. The publish to social media solely described them as going down in “international waters.” Previous strikes have taken place in each the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
NCS has reached out to the Coast Guard and Southern Command concerning the search and rescue mission for the survivors.
The new strikes carry the overall variety of vessels focused by the US to at least 34 and the variety of fatalities to at least 110 because the US started its marketing campaign in September.
The Trump administration has claimed it’s finishing up the strikes to cease the circulation of medicine into the United States, however administration officers have additionally instructed they’re a part of a strain marketing campaign aimed at ousting Venezuelan chief Nicolás Maduro, from whose nation most of the stricken vessels have originated.
White House chief of employees Susie Wiles advised Vanity Fair in interviews for a narrative printed earlier this month that Trump desires to maintain focusing on boats till Maduro “cries uncle.”
Last week President Donald Trump mentioned the United States took out a “big facility” as a part of a strain marketing campaign in opposition to Venezuela that has included an enormous US naval and troop buildup in the Caribbean and a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, in addition to the strikes.
The CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela, sources acquainted with the matter told NCS, marking the primary identified US assault on a goal inside that nation.
Trump, who has offered few extra particulars on the “big facility” motion, advised reporters on Monday that “there was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs” and that an “implementation area” was “no longer around.”
Maduro has repeatedly criticized the US military deployment in the Caribbean and accused the US of waging a marketing campaign of “psychological terrorism” in opposition to his nation.
In a response to Trump ordering a “complete” blockade of sanctioned oil tankers getting into and leaving Venezuela earlier this month, Venezuela’s National Assembly accepted a regulation final week that enables for jail phrases of as much as 20 years for anybody discovered supporting “piracy” or “blockades.”