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As stated by a senior defense official, the US armed forces executed a fatal strike on a vessel in the Pacific Ocean, killing four individuals.

“A US joint task force carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a terrorist group in international waters. Surveillance confirmed the vessel was traveling along a known narco-trafficking route and was involved in narco-trafficking operations. All four male narco-terrorists were eliminated, and no American forces were harmed.”

Background and Prior Strikes

The statement comes a day after a declaration regarding a naval blockade of all targeted oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. That statement on online platforms, the US president accused Venezuela of using oil revenues to fund narcotics smuggling and criminal activities, vowing to escalate the military presence.

Only on the previous day, the Pentagon stated it had carried out strikes on three boats it accused of smuggling narcotics in the Pacific, leading to the deaths of eight people. Since 2 September, over 20 military engagements have killed at least 99 people, most off the coast of Venezuela.

Government Defends Tactics Amid Scrutiny

The administration has faced growing pressure to release video of a September 2nd vessel attack. However, the defense secretary have declined to do so. The administration has defended its campaign as a successful operation, saying it has prevented drugs from reaching US shores and has dismissed concerns that it is exceeding the limits of legal military action.

Although the administration has stated the operation is about stopping drugs headed to the US, comments from a top official appeared to confirm a broader political objective. In a recent interview, the chief of staff remarked the leader “wants to keep on destroying vessels until the Venezuelan president surrenders or concedes.”

This suggests the series of strikes may be linked to a push to remove Venezuela's current government.